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62 d Congress ) 
1st Session \ 


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 


\ Document 
] No. 81 




REPORTS ON 

**. ' . , v - J ; U t ' \ s ' : 

THE CONTROL OF FLOODS IN THE RIVER 
SYSTEMS OF THE SACRAMENTO VAL¬ 
LEY AND THE ADJACENT SAN 
JOAQUIN VALLEY, CAL. 





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JUNE 29, 1911 

Referred to the Committee on Rivers and Harbors 
and ordered to be printed, with illustrations 


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WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OPPICE 
1911 


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621) Congress, ( HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, j Document 
1st Session. f / No. 81. 


" T t s * C 

CU \C\V\ 


S 


FLOOD CONTROL—SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN 

RIVER SYSTEMS, CALIFORNIA. 


LETTER 


FROM 

THE SECRETARY OF WAR, 

TRANSMITTING, 

WITH A LETTER FROM THE ACTING CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, RE¬ 
PORTS ON THE CONTROL OF FLOODS IN THE RIVER SYSTEMS 
OF THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND THE ADJACENT SAN JOA¬ 
QUIN VALLEY, CAL. 


June 29, 1911.—Referred to tbe Committee on Rivers and Harbors and ordered 

to be printed, with illustrations. 


War Department, 
Washington , June 27. 1911. 

Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith a letter from the Act¬ 
ing Chief of Engineers, United States Army, dated 24th instant, 
together with copy of report from the California Debris Commis¬ 
sion, with maps, containing a project and an estimate of the cost 
of the same, for the relief from floods in the Sacramento Valley and 
the adjacent San Joaquin Valley, made in accordance with the re¬ 
quirements of the act of Congress approved March 1, 1893, creating 
the California Debris Commission. 

Very respectfully, Henry L. Stimson, 

Secretary of War. 

The Speaker of the House of Representatives. 


War Department, 

Office of the Chief of Engineers, 

Washing ton, June 2J h/ 1911. 

Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, for transmission to Con¬ 
gress, a report, with maps, submitted with letter dated August 10, 
1910. by the California Debris Commission, containing a project. 













2 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


together with an estimate of the cost of same, for the relief from 
floods in the Sacramento Valley and the adjacent San Joaquin Val¬ 
ley. The project is submitted in accordance with the requirements of 
the act of Congress approved March 1, 1893, creating the California 
Debris Commission, which act prescribes that the duties of the 
commission shall be— 

(a) The regulation of hydraulic mining in the territory drained by the Sac¬ 
ramento and San Joaquin River systems, so that mining by that method may 
be resinned and carried on without injury to other interests in the State; 

(1)) To mature and adopt plans to improve the navigability of the above- 
mentioned rivers, to protect same from damage due to mining debris, and to 
deepen their channels, protect their banks, etc.; and 

(c) To afford relief in flood time and to provide sufficient water to maintain 
a scouring force in the summer season. 

The first of the above-mentioned objects has already been accom¬ 
plished; and Congress, in the river and harbor act of June 25, 1910, 
approved the project submitted by the commission June 30, 1907, for 
continuing the control of debris in the tributaries of the Sacramento 
River, mainly by dredging instead of by construction of settling 
basins. Two hydraulic dredges are provided for, and their operation 
is to comprise the maintenance of navigable channels as the most 
effectual means to accomplish the second of the duties assigned to the 
commission, viz, the improvement of navigation in the rivers of that 
system. The said act appropriated $400,000, no part of said sum to 
be expended unless the State of California shall provide a like sum 
of $400,000 for prosecution of the work. 

This report presents a project for control of floods, the third duty 
assigned the commission. Recognizing that the interests of naviga¬ 
tion. debris control, and flood control are inseparably connected, the 
commission has considered these problems as one general project, thus 
utilizing for the common good to the fullest extent practicable the 
works for any one of the three projects. 

The question of flood control in the Sacramento Valley is of the 
utmost importance, and much study has been given to it by a State 
commission and others. The extensive areas of reclaimable land, its 
high value after reclamation, and the great damage by frequent 
floods to land already reclaimed, make the problem a vital one which 
presses for early solution. In some respects the interests of flood 
control and of low-water navigation are conflicting, and it is the 
concern of the United States to secure that solution of the flood 
problem which will be least injurious to the present good low-water 
channels. With the object of developing the most feasible and prac¬ 
ticable plan for flood control the commission has made surveys of the 
river and its tributaries, collected a large amount of data,"and has 
given the whole subject exhaustive study, in which reports of former 
commissions have been utilized. 

The plan proposed herein by the commission is known as the by-pass 
system for the reason that an auxiliary channel through low lands at 
some distance from the main river is provided for the passage of the 
greater portion of the flood waters. This plan is described in para¬ 
graph 52 of the within report and involves the building of levees, 
excavation of channels, purchase of rights of way, construction of 
spillways, bridges, etc. 

The estimated total cost is $33,800,000, from which should be de¬ 
ducted $800,000, provided in the river and harbor act of June 25, 
1910, making the net cost of the present project $33,000,000. It is 



FLOOD CONTROL. 


3 


proposed that the State of California shall provide two-thirds and 
the United States one-third of this sum; also that after completion 
the State shall maintain all flood-control works. 

The commission recommends the adoption of this project for the 
control of floods in the Sacramento River and its tributaries; that the 
work begin at once, and provision be made for its early completion; 
and that upon completion the United States turn over the flood- 
control works to the State of California for future maintenance. 

This report has been referred, as required by law, to the Board of 
Engineers f or Rivers and Harbors for consideration, and the board in 

« 7 

its report, dated December 27, 1910, herewith, concurs generally in 
the plan proposed by the commission, and states that— 


The plan proposed by the commission seems well adapted to fulfill the above 
objects, subject to such changes as further study or experience in the course of 
execution may show to be desirable or necessary. The estimates from this point 
of view should be considered as approximate only, exact determination being 
impracticable in undertakings of such large magnitude, involving so many 
diverse interests and various details of cooperation not yet elaborated. The 
board is inclined to the opinion that further study should be given to the ques¬ 
tion whether it might not be preferable, even at increased cost, to keep the 
auxiliary channel wholly on the west side of the river, and thus lessen the risk 
of injury to the navigable channel where the two cross in the proposed plan. 

A project for the improvement of the Sacramento River below the city of 
Sacramento for the benefit of navigation was presented under authority of the 
act of March 2, 1907, and may be found published as House Document No. 1123, 
Sixtieth Congress, second session. This project provides for a channel 9 feet in. 
depth and 200 feet in width. Under the provision of the act of March 3, 1909, a 
project has been forwarded by this board, under even date herewith, for the 
improvement of the river between Sacramento and Red Bluff, which contem¬ 
plates a channel depth of 4 feet from Sacramento to Colusa, 3 feet from Colusa 
to Chico Landing, and such depth as is practicable, under the plan recom¬ 
mended, from Chico Landing to Red Bluff. (See H. Doc. No. 76, 62d Cong., 
1st sess.) These channel dimensions are believed to be sufficient to meet 
present and reasonably prospective demands of commerce, and will not be 
benefited by the proposed works of flood control. In fact, there is reason to 
apprehend greater difficulty in maintaining the low-water channel where the 
river is widened to increase its flood capacity, also where the by-passes leave the 
river, and in general where the flood heights are increased by reason of the 

works of flood control. . , 

While Congress has hitherto included flood relief among the objects to be 
accomplished by the work of the debris commission, it appears to have con¬ 
sidered this only as incidental to the control of mining debris in the interests of 
navigation Should Congress now decide to cooperate with the State of Cali¬ 
fornia in a comprehensive project of this magnitude for the purpose of flood 
control it is believed that the plan proposed, with such division of cost as Con¬ 
gress may determine, should be adopted, since, in the opinion of the board, it is 
well designed to secure the desired result. The board reports, however, that the 
execution of this project is not necessary in the interests of navigation. 

I concur in the views of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and 
H a rb o rs 

Very respect fully, Edw. Burr, 

Acting Chief of Engineers. 

The Secretary of V ar. 


War Department, 

United States Engineer Office. 

San Francisco , Cal., August 10, 1910. 

Sir- The California Debris Commission has the honor to submit 
herewith a project for the relief from floods to the Sacramento Val¬ 
ley and the adjacent San Joaquin Valley. 



4 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


This is the project which it was stated in the annual report of the 
California Debris Commission for 1910 would be submitted on or 
about July 30, 1910. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

John Biddle, 

Lieut. Col ., Corps of Engineers , 

Senior Member , California Debris Commission. 

The Chief of Engineers U. S. Army, 

W ashing ton. D. C. 


APPENDIX A. 


Report of California Debris Commission with Regard to Afford¬ 
ing Relief from Floods in the Sacramento Valley and the 

Adjacent San Joaquin Valley, Cal. 

1. The principal duties of the commission as prescribed by the act 
of Congress approved March 1, 1893, which created the California 
Debris Commission, are: 

(a) To regulete hydraulic mining so as to permit the resumption of that in¬ 
dustry so far as is compatible w’tli the protection and restoration of the navi¬ 
gability of the Sacramento, Feather, and San Joaquin Hirers, and the preven¬ 
tion of damage from overflow. 

(b) To improve the navigability of all the rivers of this system, deepen their 
channels, and protect their banks, with a view of restoring as near as practi¬ 
cable and the necessities of commerce and navigation demand the navigation 
of said rivers to the conditions existing in IS 60 . 

(c) To afford relief in flood time and to provide sufficient water to maintain 
scouring force in summer season. 

2. The first of these objects has been accomplished. 

3. The commission, in a special report dated June 30, 1907. sub¬ 
mitted a project for the continuance of the control of debris in the 
tributaries of the Sacramento River. 

4. The commission now desires to submit a project for the control 
of the floods in the Sacramento River. 

5. The interests of navigation, debris control, and flood control in 
the case of this river are so inseparably connected that it is thought 
that they should be considered under one general project, thus util¬ 
izing to the fullest extent and for the common good an} 7 work done 
under projects for improvement of navigation, control of debris, or 
the control of the floods. 

6. The United States is interested in the improvement and main¬ 
tenance of the present navigable channel; it is interested jointly with 
the State of California in the control of mining debris; but to date 
it has given no attention to the flood problem. 

7. Any work done on the present river channel, in the nature of 
deepening it or of preventing mining debris from entering it. will 
increase its flood-carrying capacity and improve it both as a navi¬ 
gable and flood-carrying stream. Any work, however, that involves 
the widening of the channel will injure its navigability and neces¬ 
sitate the use of artificial means for securing low-water navigation. 
It is to the interest of the United States, therefore, that if practi- 



FLOOD CONTROL. 


5 


cable, that solution of the flood problem be adopted which will result 
in the least injury to the present good low-water navigable channel. 

8. It is with this object in view that this commission has for some 
years been making surveys of this river and its tributaries, and col¬ 
lecting data for the preparation of a project which will control the 
floods in the river at a minimum cost and which when carried out 
will have caused the least injury to the present navigable channel. 

9. The great amount of reclaimable land in the Sacramento Valley, 
its high value after being reclaimed, and the great damage to the 
land already reclaimed, wrought every few years by floods, render 
the problem of flood control a vital one which must be solved in the 
immediate future. 

10. This problem has been considered for many years and various 
solutions have been advanced. Several of the proposed projects 
possess many good qualities and all have been considered in the 
preparation of this one. All projects prior to this one, however, 
have been based on a maximum flood discharge of about 250,000 
cubic feet per second at Collinsville, while the floods of March, 1907, 
and January, 1909, showed that it will not be safe to provide for less 
than 600,000 cubic feet per second. It is evident that when the 
maximum flood discharge considered was less than one-half of what 
it is known to have been at a later date, great modifications must be 
made in the projects that have been advanced. 

11. A commission of engineers, commonly known as the Dabney 
commission, appointed by the State of California to consider this 
problem, submitted in 1904 a complete and very comprehensive proj¬ 
ect. Up to the date of the flood of March, 1907, this project had 
been considered as the one most nearly filling the requirements of 
the case. In the discussion of this problem, the project of the Dabney 
commission is constantly referred to and compared with the project 
proposed herein, for the reason that the former project has received 
such general sanction in the State of California and has been so 
generally considered as a possible solution. 

12. The Dabney report contemplated a widening of the present 
channel below the mouth of the Feather River from the present 
average width of about 600 feet to a width of about 1,200 feet. 
Though this would result in serious injury to navigation, it was 
considered that the benefits derived would justify such injury and a 
greatly increased cost of maintenance of the navigable channel. 
Modifying the Dabney project, however, to carry present estimated 
discharge, and assuming the proposed average depth of 35 feet, 
would necessitate the widening of the present channel to about 2,400 
feet above Sacramento and about 3.000 feet betAveen Sacramento and 
Cache Slough. This would ruin the present low-water channel 
throughout that division, a distance of about 80 miles, and make it 
impossible to maintain a Avater channel equal to the present, except 
at a cost of improvement and maintenance which would be almost 
prohibitAe. 

13. The problem of the maintenance of such a channel is further 
complicated in this case bv the mining debris lying in the American 
and Feather Rivers, for there are at least 300,000,000 yards of ma¬ 
terial in those streams that must eventually pass to tidal Avaters. 
Some idea of the difficulty to be experienced from this mining debris 
can be obtained from the estimates submitted in a report submitted in 


6 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


1908 by the engineer officer in charge of the river. The annual cost 
of maintenance dredging of a 9-foot low-water channel below 
Sacramento was estimated at $42,000; that of a 12-foot depth below 
Sacramento at $160,000; that of a 15-foot depth below Sacramento 
at $425,000; and that of a 9-foot low-water channel between Sacra¬ 
mento and Feather River was estimated at $207,500. This excessive 
maintenance is due almost entirely to the mining debris in the 

• • • *- o 

Feather and American Rivers. 

14. At present, owing to the restricted channel width, the river is 
able to maintain a good channel by scouring out at mean stages the 
debris brought into it during the high stages. On the other hand, 
with an increased channel width, the scouring effect would be less 
and the annual cost of maintaining the present navigable depths 
would be great. While the commerce of the Sacramento River is 
not large, it has a high value per ton. It is estimated that the aver¬ 
age amount for the past 15 years has been 425,000 tons, valued at over 
$20,000,000. At present the annual tonnage is estimated at 425.000 
tons, and its value at about $30,000,000. This increase in value is 
due to the nature of the crops now being grown, especially on the 
lower river. Considering the extent of this commerce it is evident, 
therefore, that anj^ injury to the present navigable conditions will be 
a serious injury to the development of the river districts which are 
dependent on the river for transportation. 

DESCRIPTION OF LOCALITY. 

15. The entire central portion of California is a low, flat depres¬ 
sion inclosed by mountains. It consists of an elliptically shaped 
valley about 450 miles long and 40 miles wide, embracing about 
18,000 square miles. This basin is inclosed by the Sierra Nevada 
Mountains on the east and the Coast Range on the west. The entire 
drainage area of this great valley is about 57,000 square miles. The 
northern portion of this valley is drained by the Sacramento River 
and its tributaries, while the southern portion is drained by the San 
Joaquin River. 

16. From an examination of the geology of the surrounding conn- 
try it seems probable that Suisun Bay is all that is left of a large 
inland sea, the leveling effect of the weather and rainfall having 
filled the remainder and converted it into land b}^ the eroded material 
carried down b}^ the river from the surrounding mountains. This 
action has progressed for a great period of time and is still in 
progress. That portion of this great inland depression lying north 
of the Consumnes River is ordinarily known as the Sacramento Val¬ 
ley, while that portion to the south is known as the San Joaquin 
Valley. The Consumnes River, however, is only a convenient bound¬ 
ary, as there is no definite dividing line between the two valleys. 

SACRAMENTO VALLEY. 

17. The watershed of the Sacramento Valley is about 27,000 square 
miles, with an average rainfall of about 30 inches. This rainfall 
varies from about 18 to 20 inches in the flat portion of the vallev to 
as high as over 100 inches in sections of the Sierra Nevada and Shasta 
regions, where there are maximum elevations of 11,000 and 14,000 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


( 


feet. Practically all of the precipitation occurs during a few months 
in the winter and early spring, so that the warm rains and melting 
snows together cause frequent floods. The upper portions of all the 
streams have high gradients and are torrential in character. Most 
of the tributary streams are in flood at the same time, and the Sacra¬ 
mento River is called upon nearly every spring to carry off floods 
far beyond the capacity of its channel. 

18. The flood waters flowing over the banks in a thin sheet have 
raised the natural banks by successive deposits in the manner char¬ 
acteristic of similar sediment-bearing streams, and in this manner 
natural levees of low elevation have been built which prevent the 
overflowed water from finding its way back to the neighboring chan¬ 
nel when the river falls. Large basins have thus been formed where 
the water stands after the flood until evaporated or until it finds its 
way through other natural channels and side sloughs into the river 
at points nearer its mouth. These basins, together with the sloughs 
and side channels at the mouths of this river and the San Joaquin, 
comprise an area of about 1,250 square miles, which is subject to 
overflow at every ordinary flood. This area is increased to about 
1,700 square miles at extraordinary floods. 

19. In the lower part of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys 
there are islands varying in area from 1,500 to 43,000 acres, most of 
which have been reclaimed for agricultural purposes. This overflow 
land (swamp land) is probably as good and as productive as any 
in the State of California. Reclaimed lands that are improved, 
i. e., hop vineyards, orchards, asparagus and alfalfa lands, etc., are 
now valued as high as $300 or more per acre, while the average value 
of the reclaimed land along the 65 miles of the river below Sacra¬ 
mento is about $200 per acre. 

20. In the Sacramento Valley there are 48 reclamation districts, 
and reports on 41 of these districts, with an area of 317,904 acres, 
showed on July 1, 1909, that 205,423 acres have been completely re¬ 
claimed, and 99,376 acres have been partially reclaimed by the con¬ 
struction of 521 miles of levee. The total cost of such reclamation 
on that date was estimated at $15,039,525, with contemplated im¬ 
provements amounting to $1,762,053. (Sacramento City was not 
included in the above statements.) It is estimated that in addition 
to the cost of reclamation to property owners, the State of California 
has expended on protection works along the rivers about $2,500,000. 

21. It is estimated that the control of the floods will result in the 
reclaiming for agricultural purposes of about 400,000 acres, now 
valued at about $20 per acre, the value of which reclaimed should 
average $150 per acre, in addition to protecting the 300,000 or more 
acres now reclaimed and valued at about $200 per acre. 

22. The losses throughout the valley due to the floods have been 
large. The estimated loss in the 41 reclamation districts mentioned 
in paragraph 20 during the flood of January, 1909, was over $4,500,- 
000. The losses due to the flood of March, 1907. were somewhat 
greater than those of the flood of January, 1909. It is estimated 
that the losses due to the floods of 1904, 1907, and 1909 amounted to 
at least $11,000,000. From the above data regarding the cost of the 
reclamation of these swamp lands and of the extent of the injury 
sustained due to the great floods, the urgenc}^ of protection against 
floods is evident. 


8 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


23. The conditions that affect the cost of making new reclamations 
and of protecting the old reclamations are growing worse from year 
to year, and will continue to do so until some general scheme of con¬ 
trol is effected, for every additional reclamation results in a contrac¬ 
tion of the present waterway or a reduction of the storage area that 
has heretofore been available. This results in the flood waters reach¬ 


ing the lower reaches of the river with an increased volume, a higher 
flood plane, and a greater velocity. The problem presented for so¬ 
lution, then, is to prevent the flooding of these lands and to do so 
with the least possible injury to the present navigable channels. 

24. The valley is, in general, of alluvial formation, and below, 
about Stony Creek, the river has the characteristic elevation of banks 
with depressed basins on each side. Above Stony Creek the river lies 
in the lowest part of the valley, and has sufficient capacity to carry 
all its flood waters except at times of extraordinary floods. Below 
that point, however, the river channel is deficient in capacity and 
requires artificial correction. On the west side there are two basins, 
Colusa Basin and Yolo Basin, separated by a ridge extending from 
the hills to the vicinity of Knights Landing. (This ridge is 12 to 
18 feet higher than the basin above or below, and is the result of 
deposits from Cache Creek.) On the east side Marysville Buttes, 
Feather River, and American River divide the depression into four 
basins, called, respectively. Butte Basin. Sutter Basin, American 
Basin, and Sacramento Basin. The areas and capacities of these 
basins during the floods of 1907 and 1909 are estimated as follows: 



Acres. 

Acre-feet. 

Butte Basin. 

54.000 

407,000 

Sutter Basin. 

110.000 

1,038,000 
880.000 
571,000 

Colusa Basin. 

93,000 

American Basin. 

70,000 

Yolo Basin. 

140.000 

1,120.0(0 



Or a total of about 470.000 acres and 4,022.000 acre-feet. 

25. The Sacramento River channel from Stony Creek to Butte 
Slough, a length of about 52 miles, differs from the division above. 
The slope is less and the channel flood capacity decreases progres¬ 
sively downstream, so that at Butte Slough it is only about 70,000 
cubic feet per second, or about 30 per cent of that at Stony Creek. 
A considerable portion of the flood discharge escapes through Butte 
Slough, with a corresponding reduction in the cross section of the 
channel below. 

2G. The division of the river from Butte Slough to Feather River, 
a length of about 64 miles, is not only more contracted in cross sec¬ 
tion than the division above, but it is very crooked and has a flatter 
slope. Its flood capacity is reduced at Knights Landing to about 
23,000 cubic feet per second, or about 10 per cent of that at Stony 
Creek. The navigable channel, however, is correspondingly better, 
and there is no difficulty in maintaining a low-water depth of 4 feet. 

27. Near the mouth of the Feather River the waters from Butte 
and Sutter basins return to the Sacramento, and there is added such 
portion of the flow of the Feather as remains in its channel at flood 













FLOOD CONTROL. 


9 


-tage. Opposite the mouth of Feather River and at points below 
the surplus flood water escapes into Tolo Basin, to return to the 
river at Cache Slough. 

-§• The channel of the Sacramento River from the Feather River 
to Suisun Bay contains large deposits of mining debris brought 
down by the Feather and American Rivers. The accumulations of 
mining debris in the channel of the Sacramento River have raised 
the bed about 5 feet and reduced its capacity about 5 to 10 per cent. 
In the lower reaches of the Feather, Yuba, Bear, and American 
Rivers there still remains at least 300,000,000 cubic yards of ma¬ 
terial which must in time enter the Sacramento. 

29. At the head of Grand Island the river divides into two main 
channels, Old River and Steamboat Slough, which unite at Cache 
Slough. Georgiana and Three Mile Sloughs on the east carry their 
waters from the Sacramento to the San Joaquin River. 

30. The following table shows the estimated capacity of the river 
at various points, the distance of such points above the mouth of 
river (Collinsville), and the estimated discharge capacity that should 
be provided to care for the great floods if the waters were confined 
to a single channel: 


Localities. 

Distance. 

Capacity 

(present). 

Capacity 

(required). 

Chico Landing. 

Miles. 

202 

Cubic feet per 
second. 

235,000 
70,000 
25.000 
65,000 
80,000 
165.000 

Cubic, feet per 
second. 

235,000 
250,000 
250.000 

Colusa. 

151 

Knights Landing. 

94 

Below Feather River. 

81 

450,000 
525,000 

Below American River. 

62 

Below Cache Slough... 

16 

600,000 



31. Feather Fiver .—The Feather River above the mouth of the 
Yuba lias not been injured to any extent by mining deposits. Below 
the Yuba it is full of mining debris, and its channel capacity has 
been greatly reduced. 

32. Yuba Fiver .—The Yuba River, the principal tributary of the 
Feather, drains that region where hydraulic mining operations were 
carried on most extensively. As a result the bed of the river has been 
raised from about 11 feet at its mouth to about 80 feet at Smartsville, 
20 miles upstream. It is estimated that the deposit in that distance 
is about 250,000,000 cubic vards. This material varies from large 
cobblestones at Smartsville to a mixture of sand and clay, with some 
gravel in the main channels, at junction with (he Feather River. For 
to miles above the mouth the levees are from 1 to 2\ miles apart, the 
space between being covered with this debris. It has ample flood 
capacity between the present levees except at its junction with 
Feather River. 

33. American and Bear Fivers. — These rivers rise in the Sierra 
Xevadas and have also received large deposits of mining debris. 
"While not in such a bad condition as the Yuba, their beds are prac¬ 


tically filled with this material. 

34. While entirely inadequate as a flood channel, the Sacramento 
River has a good navigable channel below Colusa. The following 

























10 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


table shows the low-water navigable depths below Red Bluff, the 
head of navigation: 


From— 

To— 

Miles. 

Least channel. 

Mouth of river at Collinsville. 

Sacramento. 

64 

7 feet. 

Sacramento. . 

Colusa. 

90 

4 feet. 

Colusa. 

Chico Landing.... 

57 

3 feet. 

Chico Landing. 

Red Bluff. 

52 

3 feet for about 6 months; L to 2 




feet for about 6 months. 


During the period 1875-1910 the average annual cost of mainte¬ 
nance has been $27,680.63, and the greater portion of this expendi¬ 
ture, probably about 65 per cent, has been made in the 60 miles im¬ 
mediately above Colusa. When account is taken of the length of 
this river and of the quantity of debris that has been carried and is 
still being carried down each year, some idea can be obtained of the 
natural excellence of the low-water channel. In this connection at¬ 
tention is again invited to the statements in paragraphs 12 to 14. 
inclusive. 

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS. 

35. Of the many projects that have been suggested for the solution 
of this problem, the following two have been considered the only 
ones possessing sufficient merit to justify discussion: 

(a) Main-channel system. 

(b) By-pass system. 

MAIN-CHANNEL SYSTEM. 

36. Project of 1880. —The project to confine the river to one main 
channel was advocated first in i880, under the State engineer, Mr. 
William Ham Hall, with a board of consulting engineers consisting 
of Gen. S. Alexander and Col. George H. Mendell, Corps of Engi¬ 
neers, and Mr. J. B. Eads. A general plan of reclamation was de¬ 
vised, suggested by Gen. Alexander and approved by the others, by 
which the river was to be confined between high levees and was in¬ 
tended eventually to carry all its Hood flow in its own channel. 
Side relief channels were to accommodate the excess not carried by 
the river itself, but these relief channels were to be ultimately aban¬ 
doned when the river had developed its ability under this treatment 
to carry all floods. This plan was never accepted nor acted on by 
the State legislature. 

37. Dabney project .—In 1904 a project was prepared by a board of 
engineers consisting of Messrs T. G. Dabney, State levee engineer, 
Mississippi; Henry B. Richardson, member of Mississippi River 
Commission; M. A. Nurse, chief engineer, State of California, com¬ 
missioner of public works; and Maj. H. M. Chittenden, Corps of 
Engineers, United States Army. This project is similar to that of 
Gen. Alexander, Corps of Engineers, and contemplates confining the 
entire flow at high stages between permanent levees. Under this 
project the use of side relief channels is counted on until the project 
is far enough advanced to rely on the improved channels. Cut-offs 
at various places were to reduce the length of the river and increase 
the slopes. 

38. The project, in brief, consisted in shortening the channels and 
enlarging them to the desired extent, partly by dredging and partly 



















FLOOD CONTROL. 


11 


by natural scour, and by building levees along the best practicable 
lines to.concentrate and rectify the river and hold it to its work of 
developing and maintaining its channel. These levees were to be 
sufficiently high to contain ultimately the entire flood flow. Side 
creeks were to be leveed and pumping plants established to care for 
the natural drainage. One-third of the excavation (about 120,000,000 
cubic yards) was to be made by mechanical means, while the balance 
(about 240,000,000 cubic yards) was to be made by natural scour. 

39. The estimated cost was placed at $23,776,002. 

40. This project was based on a maximum flood discharge of 
250,000 cubic feet per second below Cache Slough, which was greater 
than that provided for by any previous projects. 

41. Before discussing this project it must be pointed out that while 
the Dabney report is based on a maximum flood discharge of 250,000, 
the records of the United States Geological Survey on the floods of 
March, 1907, and January, 1909, would indicate that provision should 
be made for a discharge of at least 600,000. This means channel 
capacities below the mouth of the Feather River of more than double 
those provided in that project, and a resultant increase in cost. 

42. The principal objections to the proposed project are: 

(a) This project provided for the moving of about 320,000,000 
cubic yards of material, of which about 214,000,000 were to be re¬ 
moved by the river and carried to tidal waters. A modification of 
this project to meet the present known maximum flood discharge will 
involve the moving of over two and one-half times the above amount. 
If the same assumption is made with reference to scour by the river, 
then about 545,000,000 cubic yards will have to be carried to tidal 
waters. This amount of material can not be carried into Suisun 
Bay without injury to that body of water, resulting in injury to 
navigation interests on both the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers 
and the reclaimed areas along that bay. The filling up of Suisun 
Bay would also result in the raising of the flood plane at the mouth 
of the Sacramento River, with a consequent raising of the flood plane 
at points above. This is objectionable. It is considered by this com¬ 
mission, however, that under a modified project it would not be prac¬ 
ticable to obtain the desired channel capacity by current action. 

(b) Injury to navigation in the Sacramento River from Collins¬ 
ville to Colusa, due to the excessively wide channel required. 

The following table shows the present average widths, the neces¬ 
sary widening for the proposed widths of the Dabney commission, 
and the widths required to carry the estimated maximum flood dis¬ 
charge, based on the floods of March, 1907, and January, 1909: 



Required 

capacity. 

Mean 

Dabney 

commis¬ 

sion 

width. 

Required 

Widening neces¬ 
sary— 

Ratio 
between 
two last 
columns. 

Section of river. 

widths at 
present. 

mean 

width. 

For 

Dabney 

flood. 

For re¬ 
quired 
capacity. 

Stony Creek to Caldens Land- 

260,000 



960 



. 

Caldens Landing to Meridian. 

250.000 

340 

830 

1,120 

1,250 

490 

780 

1.56 

Meridian to Feather River— 

250.000 

250 

770 

520 

1,000 

1.92 

Feather to American. 

450,000 

570 

1,000 

2,300 

430 

1,730 

4.02 

American to Grand Island.... 

525,000 

550 

1,200 

2,740 

650 

2,190 

3.37 

Steamboat Slough. 

470,000 
50,000 
COO. 000 

380 

1,000 

2.320 

620 

1,940 

3.13 

Below Cache Slough. 

1.080 

1,400 

3,325 

320 

2,245 

7.02 































12 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


The same slopes and mean depths as those used by the Dabney com¬ 
mission are used in determining these estimated widths. 

From this table an idea can be obtained of the inadequacy of the 
proposed channels of the Dabney commission and of the increase in 
the amount of work and its probable cost. 

The average low-water discharge of the Sacramento River is about 
7,000 to 8,000 cubic feet per second, with a minimum of about 5,500 
cubic feet per second. It is evident that this widening of the chain 
nel to the widths given above will ruin the present low-water channel, 
and that its restoration and maintenance will be a very expensive 
proposition, probably so great as to be prohibitory. 

At the present time, owing to the contracted channel, the depths 
corresponding to high and mean stages of the river are greatly pro¬ 
longed and the river is thus better able to care for the great quantity 
of mining debris that the floods in the tributaries bring into it. If 
the channel were increased in width as required under a main channel 
project, the river would be for only a short period at what are now 
considered high and mean stages, for the channel would be several 
times wider and the amount of water flowing at the mean stages 
would be less than at present owing to the elimination of the present 
storage areas. The river would therefore be unable to care for the 
debris brought into it by the floods. The conditions would be similar 
to that of the Feather River below Marvsville, where the channel 
having become filled with debris has such a great width that the flow 
at mean and low water stages is not sufficient to care for the debris 
brought into it from the Yuba and Bear Rivers at floods, and navi¬ 
gation has become impracticable except for a few months of each 
year. 

( c ) The indefinite period required for the completion of the 
project, owing to the amount of excavation that is dependent on 
natural scour—current action. With a modified project contemplat¬ 
ing the excavation of all material by mechanical agencies this objec¬ 
tion would be removed. 

( d ) The cost of completing this project was estimated at $23,776.- 
022; but considering the present known maximum flood discharge it 
is estimated that the modified project will cost at least $90,000,000. 

43. The one advantage of this project is that it provides for the 
reclamation of the greatest possible area of land, amounting to about 
60,000 acres more than can be reclaimed under the by-pass system. 

BY-rASS SYSTEM. 


44. The by-pass system was advocated by Messrs. Marsden, Man- 
son, and C. E. Grunsky, who, as consulting engineers to the commis¬ 
sioner of public works, submitted in 1894 a report on the flood control 
of the Sacramento River. This project involves: 

First. The enlargement and utilization of the river channels to 
their maximum capacity as drain ways, i. e., channel rectification. 

Second. The overflow of surplus waters from the river channels at 
selected points. 

Third. Control of the surplus waters between embankments form¬ 
ing by-pass channels, and a rapid delivery of the same into Suisun 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


13 


4a. ( hannel ) edification .—The principal 
ment and rectification were: 


works of channel enlarge- 

o 


hjrst. Below Cache Slough the river was to be reduced in width, 
at Newton Shoal and widened at Horseshoe Bend, with general cor¬ 
rection of alignment. 

Second. Steamboat Slough was to be enlarged and made the main 
drainage channel. 


Third. Above Feather River the alignment of the river was to be 
systematically improved. 

40. Overflow weirs .—The overflow weirs were to be located so as 
to pass flood waters into by-passes only at very high stages of the 
river. Two weirs, with an aggregate length of 6,500 feet, were to 
be placed just below the month of the Feather River, and a third. 


1,200 feet long, 7 miles below Sacramento. 

In Sutter Basin weirs werei to be placed at the head of Butte 
Slough, and at or near Tisdale Break, with a combined length of 
3,700 feet. 


In Butte Basin the weir, 4,000 feet long, was to be located 2 miles 
above Butte City, while in the Colusa Basin a weir 750 feet long was 
to be located about 4 miles below Jacinto. 

The crests of all these weirs were located at the general bank 
height, or about 3 feet below the assumed flood plane. 

47. By-passes .—The by-pass in Yolo Basin was to have a capacity 
of 108,000 cubic feet per second to Putah Creek and 130.000 cubic feet 
per second below that point. The embankments were to vary from 
4,000 to 4,500 feet apart and be 15 feet high. 

The by-pass in Sutter Basin was to have a capacity of 70,000 
cubic feet per second, with embankments 2.500 feet apart and about 
15 feet high. 

The Butte Basin by-pass was to be 2,400 feet wide, with embank¬ 
ments 3 feet above the assumed flood plane. 

The Colusa Basin by-pass was intended to act principally as a 
drainage canal for the Colusa Basin and its drainage area. It was to 
extend through the ridge at Knights Landing and connect with the 
Yolo Basin by-pass. Its width was to be about 800 feet, with em¬ 
bankments varying from 9 to 11 feet. 

48. The estimated cost of this project was $8,637,000 for the by¬ 
passes and $650,000 for the channel corrections. This did not include 
any estimate for constructing levees along the river or its tributaries, 
though the project contemplates the construction of levees to a height 
that would confine all water that the by-passes do not carry. It was 
assumed that the individual landowners would construct those levees. 
The estimate did not provide for pumping plants in the basins that 
could not be drained by gravity, though the project recognizes them 
as necessary. The cost of those plants was to be borne hy local 
interests. 

49. The maximum discharge for which provision should be made 
was not given, but the by-passes provided were to supplement the 
river capacities to the following extent: 


Cubic feet per second. 


Above Colusa_ 60,000 

Colusa to Feather River- SO, 000 

Feather River to Cache Slough- LOS. 000—130, OOO 





14 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


The capacities of the river at various points were given as follows: 

Cubic feet per second. 


At Colusa_ 63, 000 

At Sacramento_70, 000 


The maximum discharge below Cache Slough was therefore as¬ 
sumed at about 200,000 cubic feet per second, which it was considered 
would not be exceeded more than once or twice in a century. 

The elevations of the assumed flood planes at Cache Slough, 
Feather River, and Butte Slough were 13, 36, and 64 feet, respectively. 
The elevations of the assumed flood planes of the Dabney project 
and of this project at these points are, respectively, 14, 47, and 74 
feet, and 15, 40, and 65 feet. 

50. The principal objections to this project are its incompleteness 
and, owing to the lack of flood-discharge data, its inadequateness. 
The principles upon which this project is based, however, are be¬ 
lieved to be sound. The project proposed by this commission differs 
from this project principally in providing for the complete control 
of a much larger flood discharge. 

PLAN PROPOSED BY THIS COMMISSION. 

51. It seems practicable to control the floods in this river and its 
tributaries in such a manner as to secure the desired results, without 
the objectionable features of injury to Suisun Bay, injury to navi¬ 
gation in the Sacramento River from Cache Slough to Colusa, in¬ 
definite period of construction, and excessive cost. 

52. The project now proposed by this commission involves: 

(a) Dredging to flood channel section that portion of the river 
below Cache Slough, with rectification of the channel by a cut-off 
at Horseshoe Bend. 

(b) Improving the channel at various points, especially at the 
head of Steamboat Slough, so that the river from Cache Slough to 
American River will have a capacity of about 100.000 cubic feet per 
second. 

(c) Constructing a weir opposite the mouth of Feather River and 
connecting it by means of a permanent by-pass in Yolo Basin with 
Cache Slough, this by-pass and weir to be of sufficient cross-section 
to carry all flood waters that can not be carried by the present river 
below the above weir. 

( cl ) Constructing a weir at Moultons Break, about 13 miles above 
Colusa, and connecting it by means of a permanent by-pass in the 
Sutter and Butte Basins with the Sacramento River at its junction 
with Feather River, this weir and by-pass to be of sufficient capacity 
to carry all flood waters that can not be carried by the present river 
below this weir. 

(e) Increasing the cross section of the river above Moultons Break 
by raising the levees and placing them farther apart, so that the in¬ 
creased cross section will provide for the estimated discharge. 

(/) Constructing a weir at Brytes Bend, 2 miles above the mouth 
of the American River, and connecting it by means of a permanent 
by-pass with the Yolo Basin by-pass, this by-pass and weir to have a 
capacity of about 70,000 cubic feet per second, or sufficient to carry 
the excess flood water that reaches that point. 




FLOOD CONTROL. 


15 


(y) Reconstructing the present Tisdale Weir and connecting it 
by means of a permanent by-pass with the Sutter-Butte By-pass, the 
weir and by-pass to have a capacity of about 35,000 cubic feet per 
second, or sufficient to carry the excess water that reaches that point. 

(h) Confining to their present channels by means of levees the 
flood waters of all of the important tributary streams. 

(i) Collecting the hill drainage in intercepting canals and convey 
it to the rivers or by-passes at convenient points. 

(j) Providing for the drainage of the basins by placing culverts 
with gates at various points in the by-pass levees. 

53. The objections which may be offered to this scheme are: 

(a) The cost of maintaining the levees will be greater under this 
project than in the case of one main flood channel, on account of their 
greater length. 

(b) The possibility of deposit in the by-passes and in the river 
itself below the spillwa}^s. 

( g ) The large area of land devoted to the by-passes. This project 
does not admit of the reclamation of the greatest possible amount of 
the land subject to overflow, as it requires about 60,000 acres of land 
more than a main-channel project. 

54. The advantages of this solution are: 

(a) It is estimated that this project can be completed for about 
$33,000,000, or about 35 per cent of that of a main-channel project 
of equal capacity. 

(b) The cost of maintaining the river channels, both from a stand¬ 
point of navigation and flood control, will be less than the main¬ 
tenance of equally good channels under a main-channel project. 

( c ) No injury will be done to Suisun Bay by the scouring of hun¬ 
dreds of millions of yards of material into it. 

(d) The period of construction will be less. 

(e) The by-pass system is especially adapted to the use of storage 
reservoirs Avhether for the development of power or for irrigation 
purposes and, considering the numerous storage sites available for 
these purposes, it is probable that the time will come when the present 
flood and low water conditions will be affected b}^ such storage. 
This subject will be discussed more fully later. 

55. It may be claimed that the use of by-passes will result in great 

deposit therein from the main river and from tributar}^ streams 

flowing into the by-pass, as in the case of the Yolo By-pass. An 

examination of the land in the vicinity of the mouths of Cache and 

Putah Creeks shows that no considerable deposits are now being- 

made in Yolo Basin bv debris from those streams. Therefore, with 

•/ 

the increased velocities in the by-passes over those in the basins at 
present, it is not to be expected that any considerable deposit will be 
made by them in the by-pass. 

The by-passes will not be utilized at all some seasons, and it is 
probable that they will be in commission but a short period other 
years; therefore the deposit, if any, should not be great. 

Considering the velocities in the by-passes due to the slopes in 
same, it is not expected that there will be much deposit of the mate¬ 
rial that may be carried into them. The conditions will be different 
from those at the present spillways and breaks where the water es¬ 
capes at flood from the river into a large basin of comparatively 


16 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


still water, with an immediate deposit of the material carried in sus¬ 
pension. Further, there will be no water escaping into the by-passes 
except at stages above about 6 to 8 feet below the present maximum 
flood stages. Therefore the material carried into the by-passes 
should be principally material in suspension which will not be 
deposited in them. 

56. It may be argued that the use of the by-passes will result in 
deposit in the river immediately below the spillways, especially below 
those spillways in the portion of the river carrying large quantities 
of mining debris. Considering, however, that the crest of the spill- 
w< v into Yolo Basin is at elevation 30, or about 16 feet above low 
water at that point, the waters of the river after the Hood wave has 
passed will be kept in the present channel, where they will be utilized 
to scour out any deposits that may have formed during the Hood. 
Elevation 30 at the mouth of the Feather River corresponds to an 
elevation of about 24 feet at Sacramento, or a stage at least 16 feet 
above extreme low water. The elevation of the weir opposite the 
mouth of American River will be 30.6 feet, which corresponds to an 
elevation of about 29 feet at Sacramento. 

With the Hood waters escaping into Yolo by-pass at elevation about 
30, the conditions will be better than those at present, the river over- 
Howing now into the American and Yolo Basins at about elevation 26 
feet. It is most desirable from a navigation standpoint that the 
river should be kept at what is now a Ioav high-water stage during as 
great a portion of the year as possible in order to prevent deposit and 
secure scour. 

57. Flood discharge .—It was not until the Hood of March, 1907, 
that definite data regarding the run-off from the Sacramento River 
watershed during a great flood were available. The records of the 
United States Geological Survey on that flood have proven of the 
greatest service in arriving at a reliable estimate of the Hood dis¬ 
charge. Those records are assumed as a basis in determining a maxi¬ 
mum discharge for which provision must be made at the critical 
points along the river. It is considered that this flood was the great¬ 
est experienced since the flood of 1862, and while a discharge of any 
one tributary may occur that will exceed that of the flood of 1907, 
the possibility of a greater discharge than that of 1907 simultaneously 
in several important tributaries is so remote that it is not considered 
advisable to provide for a greater flood over the entire river system. 
Owing to the breaks that occur at various points in the levees dur¬ 
ing every large flood, and the consequent filling up of the basins ad¬ 
jacent thereto, it has always been impracticable to gauge the river 
itself, and the flood discharge at any point and the corresponding 
flood height must be arrived at from gauged discharge of the river 
and its tributaries at points where they are confined to their chan¬ 
nels, with due allowance for the flattening of the flood wave due to 
channel capacity and for the time of arrival of floods in the tribu¬ 
taries. 

58. United States Geological Survey records .—During this flood 
the United States Geological Survey kept gauge records on the Sac¬ 
ramento at Red Bluff, the Feather at Oroville. the Yuba at Smarts- 
ville, Stony Creek at Fruto, Cache Creek at Yolo. Putah Creek at 
Winters, Bear River at Van Trent, and the American River at Fair 
Oaks. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


17 


59. The official reports for the year 1907 have not been issued, and 
the following table, giving the run-off from the Sacramento Basin 
in cubic feet for March 18-21, 1907, is taken from an article entitled 
“Flood of March, 1907,” pages 281-330, Volume LXI, Transactions 
of the American Society of Civil Engineers. This article was written 
by Messrs. W. B. Clapp, E. C. Murphy, and W. F. Martin of the 
United States Geological Survey, and is based on the data collected 
by that survey and published by permission of the Director of the 
United States Geological Survey. The run-off of the unmetered area 
is an estimate by the same authorities, assuming a run-off of 50 per 
cent of the precipitation for the period March 17-20 in the case of 
the mountains and foothills, and of 40 per cent of the rainfall for the 
same period in the case of the Sacramento Valley. 


Streams. 

Drainage 

area 

(square 

miles). 

1907 

Mean for 

4 days. 

Mar. 18. 

Mar. 19. 

Mar. 20. 

Mar. 21. 

Sacramento River. 

Stony Creek. 

Feather River. 

Yuba River. 

Bear River. 

American River. 

Cache Slough. 

Putah Creek. 

\tmintrnnc flnrl foothills 

9,300 
601 
3,640 
1,220 
263 
1,910 
1,230 
805 
3,907 
4,250 

118,000 
25,000 
107,900 
85,000 

15.500 
63,200 

13.500 
19,800 

164,000 
20,000 
129,600 
100,000 
28,000 
93,000 
19,000 
24, 700 

192,000 
13,450 
84,900 
60,000 
17,400 
77,000 
12,500 
10,000 

132.000 
6;800 
66,740 
27,000 

8.400 
65,000 

7,820 

5.400 

151,500 
16,310 
97,290 
68,000 
17,300 
74,600 
13,200 
15,000 
76,000 
25,500 






Total . 





27,126 





554,700 







60. The maximum stages of the various streams and the time are 
given below: 


Streams. 

Cubic feet 
per second. 

Time. 


1204,000 
185,000 

2 p. m., Mar. 20. 

1 a. m., Mar. 19. 



105,000 

2 p. m., Mar. 19. 

Mar. 19. 


28,000 


2 105,000 

5 a. m., Mar. 19. 


25,000 

Mar. 18. 


2 20,000 

Night, Mar. 19-20. 


2 33,000 

About 12 m., Mar. 23. 

Unwatered mountains and foothills. 

3 100,000 

Mar. 19. 


1 The maximum recorded discharge at this point is 250,000 cubic feet per second, which occurred on 
Feb. 3, 1909. The maximum recorded discharge previously was 224,000 cubic feet per second on Feb. 16, 

1904’ 

2 Estimated. 

3 Estimated for 24 hours. 

61. The records of the flood of January, 1909, by the same au¬ 
thority show that flood was of a magnitude almost as great as that of 
the flood of March, 1907. The following data is a comparison of 
these two floods, taken from a brief analysis of the flood of January, 
1909, by W. F. Martin, engineer, United States Geological Survey, 
dated February 9, 1909. In this analysis the following statement is 

made: 

The figures show that the flood of January, 1909, did not crest as high as the 
flood of March, 1907; but this year’s flood was better sustained for a period of 
four consecutive days. There is no question, however, that the 1907 flood was 
better sustained for a longer period, such as a week, oi 10 days, lluiing Januaiy 


H. Doc. 81, 62-1-2 































































18 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


the total peak, or crest, flow into the Sacramento Valley was 778,000 second-feet, 
as against 834,000 in 1907, or 6.5 per cent smaller. The crest flow lasted only a 
few hours, and it did not occur in all the streams simultaneously, but nearly so. 
The greatest mean daily flow in January was 658,000 second-feet, as against 
719,000 in 1907, or 8.5 per cent smaller. The mean daily flow for four consec¬ 
utive days was 527,000 in January, and 530,000 two years ago, or practically 
the same for the two floods. 


Comparison of the flood flow into the Sacramento Valley for March , 1907, and 

January, 1909. 


Streams and places. 

Flow at crest. 

Greatest daily 
mean flow. 

Greatest 4-day 
mean. 

March, 

1907. 

January, 

1909. 

February, 

1909. 

March, 

1907. 

January, 

1909. 

March, 

1907. 

January, 

1909. 

Sacramento, at Red Bluff. 

Feather, at Oroville. 

Yuba, at Smartsville. 

Bear, at Van Trent. 

American, at Fair Oaks. 

Stony, at Fruto. 

Cache, at Yolo. 

Putah, at Winters. 

Unmetered mountains and foot¬ 
hills. 

Total flow into valley.... 

204,000 
185,000 
105,000 
30,000 
105,000 

4 30.000 
19,500 
35,000 

8 120,000 

i 205,000 
i 170,000 
i 90,000 
i 40,000 
i 90,000 

4 28,000 
17,500 
32,400 

6 105,000 

250,000 

4 38,000 
25,000 
34,000 

2 192,000 

8 130,000 

8 100,000 

8 28,000 

8 100,000 

6 25,000 

8 19,000 
8 25,000 

6100,000 

175,000 
130,000 
85,000 
27,000 
85,000 

4 25,000 
17,000 
29,000 

6 85,000 

152,000 

97.300 
68,000 

17.300 
74,600 

16.300 
13,200 
15,000 

76,000 

129,000 
112,000 
68,000 
20,000 
75,000 
4 17,000 
12,000 
18,000 

6 76,000 

834,000 

778,000 


719,000 

658,000 

530,000 

527,000 


1 January 16. 4 Estimate made from flow at Orland. 

2 March 20. 5 March 18. 

8 March 19. 6 Estimated in comparison with run-off in 1907. 


62. The following table gives a comparison of the estimate of the 
Dabney commission for the maximum discharge of the river at vari¬ 
ous points, and the estimate of Messrs. W. B. Clapp, E. C. Murphy, 
and W. F. Martin in their article, which has been referred to in 
paragraph 59: 


Places. 

Maximum 

rate 

assumed by 
Dabney 
commission. 

Maximum 
rate com¬ 
puted by 
Messrs. 

Clapp, Mur¬ 
phy, and 
Martin. 

Below mouth of— 

Stony Creek. 

Cubic feet per 
second. 

180,000 
190,000 
230,000 
250,000 

Cubic feet per 
second. 
261,000 
466,000 
559,000 
640,000 

Feather River. 

American River. 

Cache Slough. 



It is thought that the estimates of Messers. Clapp, Murphy, and 
Martin should be followed very closely in determining the necessary 
channel widths, and their maximum is assumed, with certain allow¬ 
ances for flattening of the flood wave in passing down the improved 
channels. 

63. It is doubtful if the flood in the American was a maximum in 
1907, and it is not considered safe to estimate its maximum flood dis¬ 
charge at less than 120,000 cubic feet. 

64. Considering the above discharge data and the estimated maxi¬ 
mum flood discharge of Messrs. Clapp, Murphy, and Martin, it is 

























































FLOOD CONTROL. 


19 


considered that provision should be made for the following dis¬ 
charges : 

Cubic feet per second. 


Sacramento River below Stony Creek_ 260, 000 

Stony Creek- 30, 000 

Sacramento River at Moulton Weir_ 250, 000 

In river to Tisdale Weir_ 65, 000 

In river from Tisdale Weir to Feather River_ 30, 000 

Tisdale by-pass- 35, 000 

Sutter-Butte by-pass- 185, 000-220, 000 

Feather River above Marysville_ 150, 000 

Yuba River_110, 000 

Bear River- 30, 000 

Feather River below Marysville_ 240, 000 

Yolo by-pass at spillway_ 400, 000 

Yolo by-pass below Colusa Basin Canal_410, 000 

Yolo by-pass below Cache Creek_ 425, 000 

Yolo by-pass below American by-pass_ 490, 000 

Yolo by-pass below Putah Creek_510, 000 

From Feather River to American River_ 50, 000 

From American River to Cache Slough_ 100, 000 

Below Cache Slough_ 600, 000 

American River_ 120, 000 

Colusa Basin Canal_ 10, 000 

Cache Creek_ 20, 000 

Putah Creek_ 25, 000 

Sacramento by-pass_ 70,000 


65. The above discharges are large and much larger than many 
may consider it advisable to provide for. The floods considered, 
however, were of long duration and but little reduction can be al¬ 
lowed for the flattening of the flood wave under such conditions. In 
the projects that have heretofore been seriously considered, the esti¬ 
mated flood discharges of the main river and of most of its tribu¬ 
taries have been abnormally low, and the possibility of even those 
low discharges being maintained for some days was not considered 
probable. The floods of 1907 and 1909 have proved conclusively that 
a flood in this river may continue for several days at almost the point 
of maximum discharge". Failure to provide for a discharge such as 
is shown by these floods of 1907 and 1909 would leave open the way 
for damage by the occurrence of a similar flood. 

66. The magnitude of the maximum flood discharge of the Sacra¬ 
mento River may be better appreciated by comparing it with that of 
several well-known rivers of the United States: 


Rivers. 

Drainage 
area above 
station. 

Maximum 
flood dis¬ 
charge (cubic 
feet per 
second re¬ 
corded). 


Square miles. 
1,100,000 

1,777,000 

Mississippi vluKouuig;.. . . . .. 

105,000 

366,000 

MISSISSIPPI t d. IJ U V £ ivj.ioouuii a v i v t/i . . .. 

527,000 

i 546,000 


237,000 

1,390,000 


201,700 

1,233,000 


186,300 

440,000 


90,000 

210,000 


26,000 

2 600,000 


— 


1 It is estimated that the discharge of the Missouri River during the hoods of 1884 and 1903 was 900,000 

cubic feet per second. 

2 Estimated, 1907-1909. 














































20 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


67. The by-pass system permits the adoption of an entirely safe esti¬ 
mate of the flood discharge, for no considerable excavation is involved 
except below Cache Slough, and if an excessive flood discharge is 
assumed the cost is increased but little except in the item “ Purchase 
of land.” Under the concentration scheme, however, the assumption 
of an excessive flood discharge means a great increase in cost due to 
excavation for this extra discharge, as well as an increase in cost 
of land. 

68. It is considered advisable, therefore, by this commission to 
provide capacity for a flood of the extent and duration of that of 
March, 1907, or January, 1909, and that provision for anything less 
would be not only unwise but unjustifiable. 

69. Elevation of the high-water plane .—In determining the eleva¬ 
tion of the high-water plane the important points, Collinsville, Cache 
Slough, American Itiver, and Feather River, Marysville and Moul¬ 
tons, and Chico Creek were first determined and the intermediate 
elevations determined from those. The datum plane assumed is 3.60 
feet below mean sea level. 

Mean high water at flood stages at Collinsville is taken as the ele¬ 
vation of the flood plane at that point. The gauge records of the 
flood of January, 1909, show that the mean high water at that point 
is about 7 feet. The elevation at the mouth of the American River 
is assumed at 35 feet. Owing to the many disadvantages to Sacra¬ 
mento City of a high-water elevation it is desirable to keep that ele¬ 
vation as 1ow t as possible. On the other hand, a sufficiently high 
elevation must be assumed to make the river at that point care for 
about the maximum discharge of the American River and also to pre¬ 
vent too much of the upper river flood waters from coming down to 
the American River. An elevation of 35 feet insures about sufficient 
capacity to care for the American River and allows an elevation of 
40 feet at the mouth of the Feather River, with only about 50,000 
cubic feet per second to be cared for at the spillway just above the 
American River. 

An elevation of 40 feet at the mouth of the Feather River makes 
it possible to care for all of the flood waters above that point except 
about 50,000 cubic feet per second which is passed into the Yolo 
by-pass at the American River spillway, with reasonable heights of 
levees in the Sutter-Butte and Yolo by-passes. The elevation at the 
mouth of Cache Slough was assumed at 15 feet, based on the deter¬ 
mination of the other important points just mentioned. The eleva¬ 
tion at Marysville at the Yuba City bridge is assumed at 75.5 feet, 
a safe elevation for the levee system of that town and an elevation 
that it is known will care for the floods in the Yuba and Feather 
Rivers with little modifications in the present levee systems in the 
vicinity of Marysville. 

The elevation at Moultons is assumed at 86 feet. The elevation at 
Chico Creek is assumed at 141.6 feet. 

As a general statement it may be said that all flood-plane elevations 
were assumed so as to make the present channel carry as much water 
as possible, but at the same time obtain such flood-plane elevations 
as would permit the locating of the by-passes in the troughs of the 
basins with the assumed allowable levee heights. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


21 


TO. The elevations of the high-water plane at points where the 
slope changes and the distances and slopes between these points are 
given below: 



High-water 

elevation. 

Distance. 

Slope in 
feet per 
mile. 

Collinsville. 

7.0 

15.9 

18.3 

11. 4 

0.503 

.404 

.745 
. 415 

Mouth of Cache Slough. 

15.0 

Head of Grand Island: 

Via Old River. 

23.5 

Via Steamboat Slough. 

23.5 

27.7 

Mouth of American River. 

35.0 

19. 5 

.256 

Mouth of Feather River. 

40.0 

/ 43.4 

\ i 37.0 

27.0 
12. 0 

.323 

Tisdale Weir. 

54.0 

.379 

.504 

1.33 

1 mile above Colusa. 

09. 2 

Moultons Break. 

80.0 

20.0 

1.00 

li miles below Jacinto. 

118.0 

17.8 

1.33 

Chico Creek. 

141. 0 

Feather River. 

40.0 

25.0 

1.06 

1 mile below Eliza Bend. 

00. 5 

4. 7 

1.90 

Yuba City Bridge. 

75. 5 

24.9 

2.10 

1 mile below head of Butte County Canal. 

128.0 





1 With cut-offs. 


71. In making computations for discharges the side slopes of the 
channels are assumed as 3 to 1, extending from the bed of the stream 
to the top of the levee. In applying Kutter’s formula n is taken at 
0.030. 

IMPROVEMENT OF CHANNELS. 

72. Collinsville to Cache Slough. —The channel in this division 
must be excavated to full-flood section, or to an average width of 
about 3,100 feet and a mean depth at flood stages of 35 feet. The 
levees v T ill be raised to 5 feet above the adopted flood plane of 7 
feet at Collinsville and 15 feet at Cache Slough. This will provide 
for a flood discharge of about 600,000 cubic feet per second. In con¬ 
nection with the enlargement of the channel it is proposed to 
straighten the channel by a cut through Horseshoe Bend. Threemile 
Slough will be closed as soon as the channel below that point is com¬ 
pleted to its full-flood section. The amount of excavation in this divi¬ 
sion is estimated at 148,600,000 cubic yards. 

73. Cache Slough to head of Grand Island. —No change will be 
made in Old River except to raise the levees to 3 feet above the 
adopted flood plane of 15 feet at Cache Slough and 23.5 feet at head 
of Grand Island. This will provide for a flood discharge of about 
54,000 cubic feet per second. 

In Steamboat Slough the only improvement will be the setting- 
back of the levees in the upper 4J miles, to provide for a discharge of 
about 46,000 cubic feet per second. The levee system throughout will 
be raised to 3 feet above the adopted plane of 15 feet at Cache 
Slough and 23.5 feet at head of Grand Island. This will provide 
for a flood discharge of about 46,000 cubic feet per second. 

74. Head of Grand Island to American River. —The only changes 
in this section will be the closing of Sutter Slough and the setting 
back of the levees at tw T o or three points where the cross section is 
not sufficient with the adopted flood plane. The levees will be raised 




























22 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


throughout to a height of 3 feet above the adopted flood plane of 23.5 
feet at head of Grand Island and 35 feet at American River. This 
will provide for a flood discharge of about 100,000 cubic feet per 
second. 

75. American River to Feather River. —The levees in this section 
will be raised to a height of 3 feet above the adopted flood plane of 
35 feet at American River and 40 feet at Feather River. The capacity 
will be greater than the required capacity of 50,000 cubic feet per 
second. 

76. Feather River to Tisdale Weir. —The river in this section has 
several very bad bends. It is proposed to straighten the channel in 
the vicinity of Grays Bend, Collins Eddy, Ministerial Bend, and 
Race Track Bend by cuts, having a total length of about 1.4 miles. 
These cuts will shorten the present channel about 6.4 miles and will 
increase the capacity of the river to about 30.000 cubic feet per sec¬ 
ond. The cost of making these cuts will be offset by the saving in 
the levee construction that would be necessary along the present 
channel at these points, and the reduction in length of the improved 
channel, amounting to about 6.4 miles, will give a considerable de¬ 
crease in cost of maintenance. The amount of excavation is estimated 
at 1,550,000 cubic yards. No other work will be done in this section 
except the closing of all sloughs and the raising of the levee system 
to 3 feet above the adopted flood plane of 40 feet at Feather River 
and 54 feet at Tisdale Weir. 

77. Tisdale Weir to Moulton Weir. —No change will be made in 
this division except to raise the levees to a height of 3 feet above the 
adopted flood plane of 54 feet at Tisdale Weir, 69 feet at 1 mile above 
Colusa, and 86 feet at Moulton Weir. This will provide for a ca¬ 
pacity of 65,000 cubic feet per second. 

78. Moulton Weir to Chico Creek. —In this division the levees will 
be set back to secure sufficient cross section to care for a flood dis¬ 
charge of 260,000 cubic feet per second. The levees will be raised 
to a height of 3 feet above the adopted flood plane of 86 feet at 
Moulton Weir, 118 feet at 1£ miles below Jacinto, and 141.6 feet at 
Chico Creek. Where the levees are set back to provide for addi¬ 
tional cross section, all timber and obstructions to the free flow of 
the flood waters must be removed to permit an increase in cross sec¬ 
tion of the flood channel. 

79. Feather River. —Along this river the present levees will be 
utilized where available and new levees will be constructed along 
lines that will give a capacity between levees of about 240,000 cubic 
feet per second to Marysville and 150,000 cubic feet above Marysville. 
The levees will be raised to a height of 3 feet above the adopted 
flood plane of 40 feet at the mouth of the river, about 66.5 feet 1 
mile below Eliza Bend, and 75.5 feet at Yuba City Bridge. Above 
Marysville the levees will be raised and strengthened on the east 
side of Feather River to the mouth of Honcut Creek, thence up the 
south side of that creek to high ground. On the west side the levees 
will be extended to about 1 mile below the head of the Butte County 
Canal, the elevation of the flood plane at this point being assumed at 
128 feet. 

80. Yuba River. —No work is needed along this river except the 
protecting and strengthening of the south levee at a few points and 
the clearing of brush in the channel to a width of about 2,000 feet. 
The present capacity is about 110,000 cubic feet per second. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


23 


81. Bear River. —The adopted flood plane is 55 feet at Feather 
River and 62.5 feet 7 miles upstream. Levees 3 feet above the adopted 
flood plane will be provided to care for a flood discharge of 30,000 
cubic feet per second. 

# 82. American River. —The levee system on the south side of this 
river, strengthened where necessary, will be utilized as far as pos¬ 
sible. On the north side a levee will have to be constructed 3 feet 
above the adopted flood plane of 35 feet at the mouth of the river and 
about 49 feet at high ground above 8-| miles upstream. The capacity 
to be provided is 120,000 cubic feet per second. 

83. Chico Creek and Stony Creek. —These creeks enter the Sacra¬ 
mento River at the upper limit of the necessary regulating works. 
Levees will be constructed along the south bank of each for a dis¬ 
tance of about 2J miles. 

84. All other important tributaries will be provided with levees 
extending from the main rivers or by-passes to high ground. 

85. Yolo Basin by-pass .—The adopted flood plane in this basin 
is 15 feet at Cache Slough, 27 feet at Southern Pacific Bridge, and 
40 feet at Fremont Weir. The flood discharge to be provided for 
varies from 400,000 cubic feet per second at Fremont Weir to about 
500,00 cubic feet per second at Cache Slough. To provide for this 
discharge the by-pass will have a width varying from about 8,000 
feet at Fremont Weir to about 12,000 feet above Cache Slough. On 
account of the inferior material of which the levees will be con¬ 
structed and the wave action to which they will be exposed, they 
will be constructed 6 feet above the adopted flood plane. At the 
head of the by-pass the ground rises to elevation about 30 feet, at 
which elevation the crest of the weir is placed. 

86. Sutter-Butte by-pass. —The adopted flood plane in this basin 
is 40 feet at Fremont Weir, 45 feet at 3 miles below Tisdale by-pass, 
57 feet at about opposite Butte Slough, and 86 feet at Moulton 
Weir. The flood discharge to be provided for varies from 185,000 
cubic feet per second at Moulton Weir to 220,000 cubic feet at the 
mouth of Tisdale by-pass. To provide for this discharge the by-pass 
will have a width varying from about 1,900 feet to 4,100 feet. The 
levee height will be 5 feet above the adopted flood plane. 

87. Tisdale Weir by-pass. —This by-pass will connect Tisdale Weir 
with the Sutter-Butte by-pass. It will have a capacity of about 
35,000 cubic feet per second. 

88. Sacramento by-pass.— This by-pass will connect the Sacra¬ 
mento Weir with the \olo by-pass. It will have a capacity of about 
70,000 cubic feet per second. 

LEVEE SYSTEM. 

89. The crown width of all levees is to be 10 feet, with slopes of 
3 to 1. The construction will be in accordance with the best prac¬ 
tice of levee construction. The grade will be 3 feet above the high- 
water plane except in the by-passes, where it will be 5 to 6 feet, and 
below Cache Slough, where it will be 5 feet. The present lc\cts 

will be utilized as far as practicable. 

Where the river must be widened to secure the necessary cross 
section it will be widened, if possible, on that side on which the 
land is least valuable. Where levees are constructed in connection 


24 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


with excavations for cut-offs, canals, increase in channel capacity, 
etc., deductions are made in the estimates of the cost of levee work. 

spillways. 

90. Fremont Weir .—It is proposed to construct at the head of the 
Yolo by-pass and opposite the mouth of the Feather River a weir 
which will allow the passage at maximum flood flow of all the flood 
waters of the Sacramento and Feather Rivers except about 50,000 
cubic feet per second. This weir will have a length of about 8,000 
feet. Its sill will be placed at elevation 30 feet, or 10 feet below the 
adopted 4 flood plane at this point. To provide for the passage over 
it of such a volume of water, it must be of the strongest construc¬ 
tion, and the estimate of cost is based on a concrete structure on con¬ 
crete pile foundations, of dimensions and construction such as that 
of similar works on the Ohio River. The elevation assumed will 
permit the confining of the river to the main channel up to about a 
16-foot stage—an ordinary stage. The river may be confined to a 
higher stage by constructing this weir with a movable crest. If the 
crest were lowered below that assumed, the saving in the cost of 
spillway would be more than off-set by the additional cost of excava¬ 
tion. The advantages of keeping the river confined at the higher 
stages has been discussed before. It is estimated that this spillway 
will cost about $1,000,000. 

91. Sacramento Weir .—The weir located at Brytes Bend, 2 miles 
above American River, will be similar in construction to that of the 
Fremont Weir. It will have a length of about 1,670 feet and its 
sill will be at elevation 30.6 feet, or about 5 feet below the adopted 
flood plane at that point. The estimated cost is $168,000. 

92. Moulton Weir .—The weir located at the head of Sutter-Butte 
by-pass will be similar-in construction to that of the Fremont Weir. 
It is to be about 2,840 feet in length, and its sill will be at elevation 
79 feet, or 7 feet below the adopted flood plane at that point. The 
estimated cost is $284,000. 

93. Tisdale Weir .—This weir, located about 26 miles below Co¬ 
lusa, was constructed by the State of California some years ago. It 
has a length of about 1,140 feet and a crest elevation of 42.3 feet. It 
is proposed to utilize this weir in the present project by raising its 
crest to elevation 50 feet, or 4 feet below the adopted flood plane at 
that point. The estimated cost is $91,000. 

DRAINAGE OF WATERSHEDS TRIBUTARY TO BASINS. 

94. Yolo Basin. —The large streams and sloughs that now empty 
into this basin will be connected to the by-pass by levees which will 
extend up those streams to high ground. 

95. Colusa Basin. —It is proposed to construct a drainage canal ex¬ 
tending frony Sycamore Slough to the Yolo by-pass. This canal will 
be about 7 miles long, with an enlargement of Sycamore Slough for 
about 2^ miles. It will have a bottom width of 300 feet and side 
slopes of 1 on 1. Its capacity with Colusa Basin at elevation 30 feet 
will be about 16,000 cubic feet per second. The amount of excava¬ 
tion is estimated at 6,700,000 cubic yards. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


25 


96. Butte Basin. —It is proposed to construct a line of levees along 
the trough of this basin northward from the Sutter-Butte by-pass. 
They will be located to intercept a great portion of the drainage 
now entering the basin. 

97. American Basin. —No provision is made for the drainage into 
this basin, as it is considered that the reclamation project of the 
Natomas Consolidated Co. will care for all drainage into this basin. 

98. Drainage of ~basins.— Provision remains to be made for the 
drainage of the unreclaimed lowlands of the basins of the water that 
will accumulate there from local rainfall, seepage, etc. This will be 
done by the use of culverts, with suitable gates through the levees at 
the lowest point of the area to be drained. These culverts will afford 
a means of draining these areas by gravity as the water falls in the 
adjacent channels. The estimate for this work is included under 
miscellaneous work. Where the land is reclaimed no provision is 
made for such drainage, that duty devolving on the property owner. 
It is assumed that any drainage canals constructed in Sutter and 
Yolo Basins will be done in connection with the levee construction 
in those basins, and the cost of same will be considered as levee con¬ 
struction. 

99. The question of caring for the numerous small streams tribu¬ 
tary to these large basins is one that involves much consideration and 
study, and the commission is not in the possession of sufficient data 
to properly consider this question. Owing to the difficulty of making 
any estimate of the cost of caring for this water, no detailed estimates 
are made. Provision can be made to cover this work only by making 
the estimate for miscellaneous work sufficiently large to meet the cost 
of any possible solution, and this has been done. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


100. Rights of way .—It is very necessary that the rights of way be 
acquired promptly, otherwise the work will be greatly delayed. This 
project will involve less difficulties along this line than that of any 
project heretofore considered, for the bulk of the land and the rights 
of way to be secured are controlled by a limited number of people and 
most of the land is not reclaimed. 

101. Irrigation and power reservoirs. —The commission has consid¬ 
ered the possibility of the control of floods, in part at least, by the 
utilization of storage reservoirs. The Geological Survey and the Rec¬ 
lamation Service have made examinations and surveys of reservoir 
sites, both in the Coast Range and the Sierras. The commission has 
also had the principal sites examined, and has delayed this report 
for the purpose of making these examinations. While the available 
data is not sufficient to report fully on all possible sites, and while 
some other sites than those considered may later be found practic¬ 
able, the information on hand is sufficient to discuss the advisability 
of the use of reservoirs for flood control. As all the tributaries have 
been looked over, it is not probable that any large reservoir sites 
exists that has not been examined. 

The reservoir capacity on the Coast Range is relatively small as 
affecting the flood discharge. In the Sierras three principal sites 
have been surveyed—on Indian Creek, on Pitt River, and on the 


26 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


North Fork of the Feather River. It is calculated that the com¬ 
bined effect of these three reservoirs will reduce the floods of the 
Sacramento as follows: Above Moulton Weir 9.8 per cent, in Sutter 
by-pass 11.2 to 13.3 per cent, in Yolo by-pass 8.2 per cent, and below 
Cache Slough 6.1 to 10.2 per cent. The effect is therefore small, and 
additional means to care for floods would in any case have to be 
provided. The value of the reservoir from an economical point of 
view is whether this relatively small amount of flood discharge can 
best be cared for by reservoirs or by by-passes. 

The following table shows the relative cost: 


Clear Lake. 

Indian Valley (Clear Lake) 

Putah Creek reservoirs. 

Stony Creek reservoirs. 

Indian Valley (Feather River) 
Big Valley. 


Ratio of cost 
of control in 


Reservoirs. 


valley to con¬ 
trol in reser¬ 


voirs. 


1.0- 1.5 
1 . 0 - 2.0 
1.0- 1.7 
1.0- 3.0 
1 . 0 - 10.0 
1.0- 5.0 


It is therefore evident that this partial control by reservoirs is not 
economical. If for power or irrigation purposes reservoirs are con¬ 
structed, and part of the flood withheld, it will simply mean that the 
by-passes will be in use for a shorter period of time, and that the river 
will carry a larger proportionate part of the flood. Reservoirs for 
power or irrigation purposes are difficult to operate to the best 
advantage for flood control, as thej^ would be filled at the earliest 
moment and would then exercise but little effect on subsequent floods. 

While favoring the use of reservoirs as far as possible, and con¬ 
sidering that one of the advantages of the project herein proposed 
is that it lends itself to future storage possibilities, the commission 
believes that it is not economical to construct reservoirs for flood 
control, but that such construction should be deferred until these 
reservoirs prove desirable for power and irrigation purposes. 

102. Clearing between levees , etc .—When the levees are set back 
to provide for additional cross section, it is proposed to remove all 
timber and obstructions to the free flow of the flood waters for a 
width sufficient to obtain the necessary flood channel cross section. 
The estimate for this work, including the right to clear and keep this 
land clear for use as an overflow channel, is $576,000, or $30 per acre. 
This estimate is included under miscellaneous work. 

103. Bank revetment .—It is probable that some bank protection 
may be found necessary, but that matter is one to be considered in 
connection with the question of maintenance, not of construction. 

104. Telephone lines .—A complete telephone system should be 
established along the river and its tributaries throughout the limits 
of the work, and extensions made to all of the United States 
Geological Survey’s gaging stations. The estimate for this work 
is included under miscellaneous work. 

BRIDGES, ETC. 

105. In connection with the completion of this project a railroad 
bridge across the Colusa Basin Canal will be necessary, and the fol¬ 
lowing bridges and trestles of the Southern Pacific Co. will require 

















FLOOD CONTROL. 


27 


raising or reconstruction: Bridge at Knights Landing; bridge at 
Yuba City; bridge across Feather River, above Yuba City; trestle 
across Sutter Basin; trestle across Yolo Basin. A change in the loca¬ 
tion of this company’s track for about 5 miles along lower Feather 
River is also contemplated, the track for this distance to be moved 
back on the new levee. The estimates for this work were prepared 
by the Southern Pacific Co., to which this commission is greatly in¬ 
debted. It is considered that as much of this work of reconstruc¬ 
tion will be to the interest of the Southern Pacific Co. that company 
will be willing to share in the expense. This is especially true of 
the following constructions: 

First. Bridge across Yolo by-pass, where estimates are based on 
a double track to replace the present single track trestle. 

Second. Bridge across Sutter by-pass. 

Third. Moving of 5 miles of track along lower Feather River. 

In preparing the estimates it is assumed that this company will 
assume 65 per cent of the cost of the Yolo by-pass bridge, 50 per cent 
of the Sutter by-pass bridge, and the entire cost of moving the track 
along Feather River. 

(a) It is proposed to construct across the Yolo Basin by-pass a 
double track steel railway bridge about 9,500 feet long, with about 
50 feet clear spans and a draw span of about 80 feet at each end for 
the passage of dredges. The elevation of the lowest member is fixed 
at 8 feet above the adopted flood plane at that point. The estimated 
cost of this bridge and the work on its approaches is estimated at 
$1,589,000, of which the Southern Pacific Co. will assume $1,038,000. 

( b ) It is proposed to construct across the Sutter by-pass a single- 
track steel railway bridge with about 50-foot clear spans and with an 
80-foot draw span at each end for the passage of dredges. The ele¬ 
vation of the lowest member of this bridge is fixed at 3 feet above the 
adopted flood plane at that point. The length of the bridge will be 
about 3,400 feet. The estimated cost of the bridge and work on ap¬ 
proaches, etc., is $370,000, of which the Southern Pacific Co. will 
assume $185,000. 

( c) It is proposed to construct across the Colusa Basin Canal a 
single-track steel railway bridge about 375 feet long. The elevation 
of the lowest member is fixed at 3 feet above the elevation of the 
adopted flood plane in the canal at that point. The cost of the 
bridge and work on the approaches, etc., is estimated at $53,000. 

( d ) The bridge at Knights Landing will have to be raised 7 feet, 
and the cost of "the work involved incident to this rise is estimated 
at $121,000. 

(e) The railroad bridge between Yuba City and Marysville will 
have to be raised 6 feet, and the cost of the work involved incident 

to this rise is estimated at $70,000. 

(/) The railroad bridge across Feather River above Marysville 
will have to be raised 6 feet, and the cost of the work involved inci¬ 
dent to this rise is estimated at $140,000. 

106. Other bridges .—The other important bridges that will have 
to be raised are the highway bridges across the Sacramento River 
at Butte City and at the head of Grand Island. Numerous small 
highway bridges across the tributary streams and across the various 
canals, etc., will have to be constructed, and in many cases the present 
bridges will have to be modified. The number and sizes of these 

to 


28 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


bridges have not been definitely determined, so this work is provided 
for by a lump sum. It is considered that local interests, county, city, 
etc., should contribute in work on many of these bridges.. It is esti¬ 
mated that the cost of raising and of rebuilding all bridges other 
than those of the Southern Pacific Co. is $253,000. 

107. Preliminary surveys. —The estimates of quantities, dimensions, 
and locations of those portions of the work along the main river—the 
American River—and the Feather River and its principal tributaries, 
the Yuba and Bear, are based on surveys made by this commission 
since 1905 and by the United States engineer officer in charge of the 
Sacramento River in 1908 and 1909. Estimates on those portions of 

the work in the overflow basins are based on the survevs of the 

%/ 

United States Geological Survey. As a preliminary to much of the 
drainage work in and adjacent to the basins and to the control of the 
creeks flowing into the basins, it will be necessary to make many sur¬ 
veys; but it is thought that such surveys, while important in deter¬ 
mining locations, will not result in material change in the estimates 
of quantity. 

108. Prosecution of the work. —Under this project work can be 
carried on simultaneously at practically all points, but the final com¬ 
pletion and putting into operation of the several principal parts of 
this plan should progress upstream from Collinsville. By the time 
the river channel is improved to Cache Slough the Yolo and Sutter 
Butte by-passes should be ready for service. Meanwhile the levees 
of the tributary streams, the drainage canals, etc., should have 
reached such a state of completion that not more than one flood sea¬ 
son need elapse before they are completed. Vigorous prosecution of 
the work at all points is essential. 

ESTIMATES. 

109. (a) Leveeing. —About 90 per cent of all the leveeing can be 
done using clamshell dredges. The balance of the dredging will 
have to be done using teams and scrapers. The work to be done by 
means of dredges is divided into two classes, depending on the quan¬ 
tity of work in the locality and the facilities for operating dredges. 
Where the quantity is large and the dredges can be operated without 
difficulty, the unit cost is taken at 6 cents per cubic yard. For 
other clamshell dredging the unit cost is placed at 12 cents. Where 
teams and scrapers are to be used, the unit cost is placed at 20 cents. 

(b) Excavation. —Estimates for excavation are based on the use of 
clamshell and hydraulic dredges, except for that at the different 
weirs, and are as follows: In lower river, 6^ cents per cubic yard; in 
Colusa Basin Canal and cut-offs above Feather River, 12^ cents per 
cubic yard; and at weirs. 25 cents per cubic yard. 

(c) Right of way .—The right of way will be a costly feature of 
this project, though the bulk of the land to be acquired is unre¬ 
claimed land in the basins. For improved land along the river below 
Knights Landing the average cost is estimated at $200 per acre. For 
improved land along the upper river and the tributary streams the 
average cost is estimated at $75 per acre. For unreclaimed land 
the average cost is estimated at $25 per acre. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


29 


110. Table of estimates .— 


Levees: 

58,000,000 cubic yards, at 6 cents_$3, 480, 000 

28,000,000 cubic yards, at 12 cents_ 3, 360, 000 

18,0000,000 cubic yards, 4t 20 cents_ 3, 600, 000 

-—-$10, 440, 0(F) 

Excavation: 

148.600,000 cubic yards, at 61 cents_ 9, 659, 000 

8,250,000 cubic yards, at 121 cents_ 1, 031, 250 

380,000 cubic yards, at 25 cents_ 95, 000 

-- 10, 785, 250 

Land: 

4.400 acres, at $200_ 880, 000 

8.400 acres, at $75_ 630, 000 

78,000 acres, at $25_ 1, 950, 000 


Spillways: 

8,000 feet, at $125_ 1, 000, 000 

4,500 feet, at $100_ 450, 000 

1,140 feet, at $S0_ 91, 200 

- 1, 541, 200 

Bridges- 1, 382, 000 

Miscellaneous_ 1, 740, 000 

Engineering and contingencies, 15 per cent_ 4, 451, 550 


Total- 33, SOO, 000 

Less amount appropriated under existing project_ SOO, 000 


Total- 33, 000, 000 


111. Maintenance .—In view of recommendation three in paragraph 
116, no estimate of maintenance is made. 

112. Maps .—There is submitted with this report a map of the val¬ 
ley of the Sacramento River to a scale of 1 inch to 5,000 feet, on 
which are indicated all the works recommended in this project. 
There is also submitted a sheet of profiles of the adopted flood planes 
in the rivers and by-passes. 

113. The surveys and the collection of data made in connection 
with the preparation of this project were under the immediate charge 
of Mr. PI. H. Wadsworth, assistant engineer, whose report is ap¬ 
pended hereto. 

CONCLUSIONS. 

* 

114. The project here submitted differs much from the commonly 
accepted solution, but this commission is satisfied that it more nearly 
meets the requirements of the case than any-heretofore considered. 
In a consideration of this project attention is invited to its small esti¬ 
mated cost and short time of completion; also to the fact that the 
floods are controlled immediately and completely upon its completion. 

115. The results to the State of California in permitting reclama¬ 
tion and preventing damage to reclaimed lands are great, but the 
United States also gains in keeping the present channels uninjured. 
It is the opinion of the commission that both should therefore share 
in the construction of the works under this project, the United States 
to the extent of 33J per cent. It is also the opinion of the commis¬ 
sion that the State of California will benefit to such an extent by 
the control of the floods of the river that upon the completion of this 
project it should take over and maintain all flood-control works, the 
United States to provide only for the maintenance of the navigable 


























30 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


channels. This seems an equitable distribution both of the first cost 
and the maintenance. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

116. It is therefore recommended: 

First. That the United States begin at once the work for the con¬ 
trol of the floods of the Sacramento River in accordance with the 
above project and provide for its early completion. 

Second. That the United States contribute one-third of the cost of 
work and the State of California contribute the remaining two- 
thirds. 

Third. That upon its completion the United States turn over to 
the State of California for maintenance all flood-control works. 

Respectfully submitted. 

John Biddle, 

Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers. 

Thos. H. Jackson, 
Captain, Corps of Engineers. 

Chas. T. Leeds, 

First Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers. 

The Chief or Engineers, U. S. Army. 

[Second indorsement.] 

The Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors, 

Wasking ton, December 27, 1910. 

Respectfully returned to the Chief of Engineers. United States 
Army. 

This is a report by the California Debris Commission on the sub¬ 
ject of the control of floods in the Sacramento River. It is appar¬ 
ently submitted in compliance with that provision in the act of March 
1, 1893, creating the commission, which refers to affording relief in 
flood time, as follows: 

Sec. 5. That it shall further examine, survey, and determine the utility and 
practicability, for the purposes hereinafter indicated, of storage sites in the 
tributaries of said rivers and in the respective branches of said tributaries, or 
in the plains, basins, sloughs, and tule and swamp lands adjacent to or along 
the course of said rivers, for the storage of debris or water or as settling reser¬ 
voirs, with the object of using the same by either or all of these methods to 
aid in the improvement and protection of said navigable rivers by preventing 
deposits therein of debris resulting from mining operations, natural erosion, 
or other causes, or for affording relief thereto in flood time and providing suffi¬ 
cient water to maintain scouring force therein in the summer season. 

This provision of the law appears to contemplate only such flood 
relief as would be incidental to the reservoirs or settling basins that 
were once regarded as the most important means of controlling the 
mining debris. Moreover, in the same act Congress discriminated 
between the objects of the work to be undertaken by the United 
States and the State, respectively, as follows: 

Sec. 24. That for the purpose of securing harmony of action and economy in 
expenditures in the work to be done by the United States and the State of 
California, respectively, the former in its plans for the improvement and pro¬ 
tection of the navigable streams and to prevent the depositing of mining debris 
or other materials within the same, and the latter in its plans authorized by 
law for the reclamation, drainage, and protection of its lands, or relating to 
the working of hydraulic mines, the sa.id commission is empowered to consult 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


31 


thereon with a commission of engineers of said State, if authorized by said 
State foi said purpose, the result of such conference to be reported to the 
-^ n Siueers of the United States Army, and if by him approved shall 
be followed by said commission. 

In the river and harbor act of June 25, 1910, however, Congress 
has approved the conclusion announced by the commission in its 
report of 1907 in favor of dredging rather than settling basins as 
the most effectual means for “ the direct improvement of navigation 
in the Feather and Sacramento Rivers, and toward the controlling 
of debris and floods.” The problem is stated by the commission as 
follows: 

The United States is interested in the improvement and maintenance of the 
present navigable channel; it is interested jointly with the State of California 
in the control of mining debris; but to date it has given no attention to the 
flood problem. 

Any work done on the present river channel in the nature of deepening it or 
of preventing mining debris from entering it will increase its flood carrying 
capacity and improve it both as a navigable and flood carrying stream. Any 
work, however, that involves the widening of the channel will injure its navi¬ 
gability and necessitate the use of artificial means for securing low-water 
navigation. It is to the interest of the United States, therefore, that if prac¬ 
ticable, that solution of the flood problem be adopted which will result in the 
least injury to the present good low water navigable channel. 

It is with this object in view that this commission has for some years been 
making surveys of this river and its tributaries, and collecting data for the 
preparation of a project which will control the floods in the river at a minimum 
cost and which when carried out will have caused the least injury to the 
present navigable channel. 

The great amount of reclaimable land in the Sacramento Valley, its high 
value after being reclaimed, and the great damage to the land already re¬ 
claimed wrought every few years by floods, render the problem of flood control 
a vital one which must be solved in the immediate future. 

Extensive surveys and investigations have been carried on for a 
number of years by the commission, and much thought and study 
have been given to this subject, culminating in the within report, 
which outlines a project for the control of the floods through the co¬ 
operation of the State of California and the United States. The 
question of flood control in the Sacramento Vallejo is recognized as 
being of the utmost importance to the State of California and the 
varied interests located in the valley, and this subject has had the 
consideration of many engineers, boards, and commissions. Several 
plans have been advanced involving different methods of control at 
varying costs. Excessive floods in recent years, however, indicate a 
maximum discharge of more than twice the volume assumed in these 
former projects, and they are therefore considered wholly inadequate 
at the present time. 

The California Debris Commission has had the benefit of these 
former studies in considering the greater problem with which it 
has been confronted, and it submits herein a project estimated to cost 
$33,800,000, toward which the commission proposes to apply $400,000 
appropriated by the act of Congress approved June 25, 1910, and the 
like sum of $400,000 furnished by the State of California in compli¬ 
ance with the terms of said act, leaving $33,000,000 to be provided 
if the project is adopted and carried out. It proposes that the State 
of California shall provide two-thirds and the United States one- 
third of this sum, and that the State shall maintain all the flood- 
control works, this distribution of the first cost and maintenance 
being equitable in the opinion of the commission. 


32 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


The plan proposed is known as the by-pass system by reason of 
the auxiliary channel to be provided through the lowlands at some 
distance from the river, along the greater portion of its length, and 
intended to take the major part of the discharge during extreme 
flood stages. On the tributaries and the upper Sacramento levee 
systems are proposed of sufficient capacity to confine all flood waters, 
and the channel of the Sacramento below Grand Island is to be en¬ 
larged to a similar capacity. The intermediate portion of the river 
is also to be leveed above extreme flood height, and will provide 
capacity sufficient for small floods, but it will be able to carry only 
a minor part of the maximum flood discharge. Weirs are provided 
at certain points in the levee lines, over which the surplus flood 
waters will pass into the auxiliary channel when the river rises above 
the weir levels. The auxiliary channel is formed by tw 7 o lines of 
levees along the low ground in the Butte, Sutter, and Yolo Basins. 
It leaves the Sacramento about half way between Butte City and 
Colusa on the left bank, crosses the Sacramento at the mouth of the 
Feather River, and rejoins it on the right bank at the foot of Grand 
Island. This project is the result of careful study and deliberation, 
and, in the opinion of the commission, will solve the problem of flood 
control and resulting land reclamation in the Sacramento Valley 
without injury to navigation interests. The commission has con¬ 
sidered the use of reservoirs for Hood control, but concludes that they 
could at the most afford only a small percentage of the necessary 
relief, and this at such a great cost that the}’ are not economically 
justifiable for this purpose alone. 

The plan proposed by the commission seems well adapted to fulfill 
the above objects, subject to such changes as further study or experi¬ 
ence in the course of execution mav show to be desirable or neces- 
sary. The estimates from this point of view 7 should be considered as 
approximate only, exact determination being impracticable in un¬ 
dertakings of such large magnitude, involving so many diverse in¬ 
terests and various details of cooperation not yet elaborated. The 
board is inclined to the opinion that further study should be given 
to the question whether it might not be preferable, even at increased 
cost, to keep the auxiliary channel wholly on the w’est side, of the 
river, and thus lessen the risk of injury to the navigable channel 
where the two cross in the proposed plan. 

A project for the improvement of the Sacramento River below’ 
the city of Sacramento, for the benefit of navigation, w 7 as presented, 
under authority of the act of March 2, 1907, and may be found pub¬ 
lished as House Document No. 1123, Sixtieth Congress, second ses¬ 
sion. This project provides for a channel 9 feet in depth and 200 
feet in width. Under the provision of the act of March 3, 1909, a 
project has been forwarded by this board, under even date herewith, 
for the improvement of the river between Sacramento and Red Bluff, 
which contemplates a channel depth of 4 feet from Sacramento to 
Colusa, 3 feet from Colusa to Chico Landing, and such depth as is 
practicable under the plan recommended from Chico Landing to Red 
Bluff. These channel dimensions are believed to be sufficient to meet 
present and reasonably prospective demands of commerce, and w’ill 
not be benefited by the proposed works of flood control. In fact, 
there is reason to apprehend greater difficulty in maintaining the 
low-water channel wdiere the river is widened to increase its flood 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


33 


capacity, also where the by-passes leave the river, and in general 

where the flood heights are increased by reason of the works of flood 
control. 

. ^ hile Congress has hitherto included flood relief among the ob¬ 
jects to be accomplished by the work of the debris commission, it 
appears to have considered this only as incidental to the control of 
mining debris in the interests of navigation. Should Congress now 
decide to cooperate with the State of California in a comprehensive 
project of this magnitude for the purpose of flood control, it is be¬ 
lieved that the plan proposed, with such division of cost as Congress 
may determine, should be adopted, since, in the opinion of the board, 
it is well designed to secure the desired result. The board reports, 
however, that the execution of this project is not necessary in the 
interests of navigation. 

For the board: 

Wm. T. Rossell, 

Colonel , Corps of Engineers , 

Senior Member of the Board. 


APPENDIX B. 


Report of Assistant Engineer H. H. Wadsworth. 

United States Engineer Office, 

San Francisco, Cal., July lJ f , 1910. 

Captain : I have the honor to submit the following report on studies and 
investigations made by me relative to the control of floods in the Sacramento 
Valley and its relation to navigation in the Sacramento River: 

Detail surveys of the Sacramento River from its mouth at Collinsville to 
Chico Landing have been made and reported upon in connection with reports 
on projects for improvement of navigation. 

Within the past few years surveys have also been made of the Feather River 
below Oroville, but complete only as to that portion below Marysville; also of 
those portions of the Yuba, Bear, and American Rivers lying between their 
mouths and the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

These surveys and that of the San Joaquin River below Stockton, made under 
the direction of Col. John Biddle in 190S, together with several minor surveys 
made under the direction of this office, form the framework of the map of the 
valley of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, which, w’th a sheet of 
profiles showing several actual and assumed water surfaces of the Sacramento 
River and adjoining basins, accompany this report. 

The topography, except in the immediate proximity of the rivers and por¬ 
tions of the troughs of Yolo, Sutter, and Butte Basins, has been taken, so far 
as they were available, from the published maps of the United States Geological 
Survey. 

The contours in the territory lying between the Feather and Sacramento 
Rivers, except the lower parts of Sutter and Butte Basins, were obtained from 
the map of the Sacramento Valley published in 1895 by the commissioner of 
public works of the State of California, modified by elevations obtained by 
lines of levels extending easterly across the basins from Butte City and from 
Meridian, the latter being from surveys of the Northern Electric Railway. 

The data used in this report, relative to the discharge of rivers during the 
flood of March, 1907, were obtained from a paper by Messrs. W. B. Clapp, 
member, American Society of Civil Engineers, E. C. Murphy, member, American 
Society of Civil Engineers, and W. F. Martin, junior, American Society of Civil 
Engineers, engineers of United States Geological Survey, published in Volume 
LX I of Transactions of American Society of Civil Engineers. 


H. Doc. 81, 62-1-3 




34 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


The records of gauge heights at several points, kept by the United States 
Weather Bureau, were used to supplement those obtained from numerous staff 
and several registering gauges maintained in connection with the surveys under 
the direction of this office. 

A general statement of the physical characteristics of the Sacramento River 
and its several tributaries is given in the report of the State commission of 
engineers to the commissioner of public works of California, under date of 
December 15, 1904. The report of this commission, commonly known as the • 
Dabney commission, was reprinted as an appendix to a report of a board of 
engineer officers, United States Army, in House Document No. 262, Fifty-ninth 
Congress, first session, so that it does not seem necessary to repeat much of this 
descriptive matter. After reviewing the several plans which had theretofore 
been proposed for dealing with the floods of the Sacramento Valley, the Dabney 
commission formulated a comprehensive plan for the rectification of the river 
and the reclamation of the adjacent lands. 

This report did not consider the effect which the -carrying out of its plan 
would have on navigation, but it was recognized by those who have to do with 
the maintenance of navigable channels that the enlargement of the river chan¬ 
nel to carry such a flow as was then assumed to be a maximum would greatly 
increase the difficulty and cost of maintaining a good channel at low-water 
stages. To adapt this same general plan, by the further enlargement of chan¬ 
nels, to the flood conditions of March, 1907, would not only render the main¬ 
tenance of a navigable channel still more difficult, but, if the necessary channel 
enlargement by the methods proposed could be extended to the limits which 
this new flood standard requires, would take a very large area of valuable agri¬ 
cultural lands which are now either completely reclaimed or which lie so high 
that flood waters recede from them each year in time to produce bountiful 
crops. 

The occurrence of another flood in January, 1909, nearly as great as that of 
1907, and even surpassing that on some of the tributaries, does not make the 
assumption tenable that such floods are so phenomenal and are separated by 
such very long intervals that a flood-control project should not provide for 
them. 

A study of the cross sections of the Sacramento River and Valley shows that 
the river never carried more than a small percentage of the water delivered 
to it by its tributaries. Before levees were constructed the excess escaped 
into the basins over the banks in a thin film, gradually building up the banks 
by the deposit of sediment, thus increasing the depth and consequently the 
velocity in and capacity of the channel. The capacity decreased progressively 
downstream, because of the further escape of water. When levees came to be 
built they were located on the natural ridges along the channels, thus raising 
the flood heights in channel and improving channel depths, but, on account of 
insufficient provision for escape of water, compelling breaks in the weaker 
levees and escape of the water to the flood basins. The effect of a break is, of 
course, to protect the adjacent districts from the danger of increased flood 
height, and the discharge of the water into these basins of great capacity delays 
its appearance at outlet of same until the crest of flood wave in the river chan¬ 
nel has passed. 

The insufficient capacity of outlets of flood basins results in the raising of 
the water in them to such heights as to threaten the back levees of reclaimed 
lands and in the backing up of the water in the main channels. When the 
Sacramento River at the outlet of Cache Slough is at its highest stage, the 
water stands practically level from that point nearly to Walnut Grove. A 
similar condition prevails above the mouth of Feather River and lower end 
of Sutter Basin. 

If storage reservoirs of capacities equal to or even approximating those of the 
valley flood basins could be provided in the mountains at a cost not greater than 
the value of the basin lands which might thereby be relieved from similar duty, 
they would be well worth while. To make such storage reservoirs of effective 
assistance in controlling floods, however, it would be necessary to subordinate 
their use for storing water for irrigation, power development, or for improving 
low water navigable depth to that purpose, since an ample storage at the end 
of the 'rainy season is essential in the one case and a large storage capacity 
uhtil such time as the possible occurrence of a flood has passed is essential 
in the other. The possibility of utilizing mountain reservoir storage in con¬ 
nection with a flood-control project will be discussed further on. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


35 


The subject of the maintenance of good navigable depths at low-water stages 
is intimately connected with the diversion of water from the river and its 
tributaries for irrigation purposes, and is one likely to require careful atten¬ 
tion in the near future. Water for irrigation purposes stored in reservoirs 
during the rainy season is no drain on the navigability of the river and may 
even be an aid in reducing flood heights, but water diverted* from the river at 
low stages, reducing the flow by the amount of the diversion, is a direct detri¬ 
ment. 

The extensive irrigation works now in progress of construction in Glenn and 
Colusa Counties will require a much larger quantity of water than has here¬ 
tofore been used. Other projects which are now under consideration and 
those which are likely to come up will create a demand which, if granted, will 
seriously affect the navigable depths, particularly above Colusa. The probable 
effect of the diversion at low-water stage of 1,000 second-feet of water above 
the mouth of Chico Creek, as computed by me, will be to decrease present 
depths, between that point and Colusa, from 0.3 foot to 1.5 feet, depending 
upon the characteristics of the section. The decrease in depth will be least 
at points where existing depths are least, but these points are now the critical 
ones, and a decrease of even 0.3 foot would be a serious matter and would 
require the construction of contraction works where, but for the diversion, they 
would not be necessary. Therefore, the storage of water on the Sacramento 
or its tributaries above Red Bluff, either by companies diverting water for irri¬ 
gation purposes, or otherwise, so ihat the low-water flow may be increased, 
should be made a condition precedent to further diversion. 

Such storage can be provided in Big Valley on Pitt River, and this same 
reservoir is the one best suited by location and capacity of any of the several 
possible storage sites to aid in flood control. 

The following table, compiled by the engineers of the United States Geological 
Survey from their records of flood discharge, as published in the American 
Society of Civil Engineers paper, previously referred to, and extended to show 
in comparison the floods of January and February, 1909, shows in each case 
the peak flow, the greatest daily mean, and the greatest four-day mean flow 
at a station on each of the tributaries: 

Table l—Comparison of the flood flow into the Sacramento Valley for March , 

1907, cmd January , 1909. 


Streams and places. 

Flow at crest (cubic feet per 
second). 

Greatest daily 
mean flow. 

Greatest 4-day 
mean. 

March, 

1907. 

January, 

1909. 

Febru¬ 
ary. 1909. 

March, 

1907. 

January, 

1909. 

March, 

1907. 

January. 

1909. 

Sacramento at Red Bluff. 

Feather at Oroville. 

Yuba at Smartsville. 

Bear at Van Trent. 

American at Fair Oaks. 

Stony at Fruto. 

Cache at Yolo. 

Putah at Winters. 

Unmetered mountains and foot¬ 
hills. 

Total flow into valley. 

- 

204,000 
185,000 
105,000 
30,000 
105,000 

4 30,000 
19,500 
35,000 

« 120,000 

i 205,000 
i 170,000 
i 90,000 
i 40,000 
i 90,000 

4 28,000 
17,500 
32,400 

«105,000 

250,000 

4 38,000 
25,000 
34,000 

2 192,000 

3 130,000 

3 100.000 

3 28,000 

3 100,000 

5 25,000 

3 19,000 

3 25.000 

6100,000 

175,000 
130,000 
85,000 
27,000 
85.000 

4 25,000 
17,000 
29,000 

6 85,000 

152,000 

97.300 
68,000 

17.300 
74,600 

16.300 
13,200 
15,000 

76,000 

129,000 
112,000 
68,000 
20,000 
75,000 
4 17,000 
12,000 
18,000 

6 76,000 

834,000 ! 778,000 |. 

1 

719,000 

658,000 

530,000 

527,000 


i j an < Estimate made from flow at Orland. 


•Mar. 2U. aoi.io. 

3 Mar. 19. 6 Estimated m comparison with run-on in 190/. 


The volume of water which must be taken care of in the several natural 
divisions into which the river is divided will differ with every flood. Using'the 
records of the floods of 1907 and 1909 as a basis and assuming an increase of 
25,000 second-feet and 50,000 second-feet, respectively, to those records of the 
maximum flow of the Vuba and American Rivers, on account of obseitntions 
under this office on the Vuba and on account of the similai chaiactei and 
greater extent of the American River drainage area, and making such allowance 
as seems proper for volume of water absorbed by or stored in the channels, 
















































36 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


considering the length of time that the high rate of flow may be (in the light 
of the experience of 1907) sustained, the following has been assumed as the 
rate of flow for which channel capacity must be provided, viz: 


Sacramento River below— Second-feet. 

Month of Stony Creek__ 260, 000 

Princeton_ 250, 000 

Feather River above Marysville_ 150, 000 

Yuba River above Marysville_ 120,000 

Feather River below Marysville_ 240, 000 

Feather River at its mouth (including Bear River)_ 250,000 

Sacramento River below mouth of Feather River_ 450, 000 

American River_J.___ 120, 000 

Sacramnto River below mouth of— 

American River_ 500, 000 

Cache Slough_ 600, 000 


Of the several engineers and engineering commissions which have reported on 
the flood-control problem, there has been a substantial agreement as to the nec¬ 
essary manner of treating that part of the river between Cache Slough, the 
outlet of Yolo Basin, and Collinsville, at the mouth of the river. In fact, there 
is no other reasonable solution than that the entire flood flow must be carried 
through this section. 

There has been such a persistent popular impression among many people 
that a canal through the ridge separating Yolo Basin from Suisun Bay, north 
of Montezuma Hills, permitting a more direct discharge of the Yolo Basin 
waters, would be the simplest solution of the problem that a more complete 
detail survey of the route of such a canal than was before available has been 
made and a map and profile prepared. These show that a flood-relief canal 
from Yolo Basin to Suisun Bay via Denverton to be out of the question, as 
not only would it require the excavation of a cut with maximum depth of 
about GO feet, but the distance to a free outlet in Suisun Bay would be actually 
greater than via Rio Vista and Collinsville. This scheme will be referred to 
again. 

While the plan recommended by the Dabney commission may have been best 
suited for floods of the magnitude assumed by it to be maximum, it becomes 
quite insufficient to deal with the problem which records subsequently made 
have shown to exist. The accompanying profile shows, besides several other 
lines, the proposed high-water surface of the river according to the proposed 
plan of the Dabney commission. The annexed cross sections are typical ones 
of several different reaches of the river, and show, first, existing sections; 
second, the sections proposed by the Dabney project; third, the sections that 
would be required according to the plan of that commission enlarged to carry 
the flood of 1907. 

Below the mouth of the Feather River the widths of channel would be ap¬ 
proximately two and one-half times as great as estimated, but the extent to 
which existing widths would have to be increased would be from three and 
one-half to seven times as great as estimated. In those estimates it was 
assumed that two-thirds of the material would be removed by the agency of 
the current and one-third by mechanical means. It can not be hoped that 
these proportions could obtain with the much greater total volume of material 
which such an enlargement of the project would involve. 

The impracticability, therefore, of enlarging on that plan to the extent that 
would be required on account of excessive quantities of material which would 
have to be handled, and the prohibitive cost of the same, and the value of land 
that would be sacrificed for the sake of reclaiming other lands less valuable, 
makes the adoption of the by-pass system, aided by storage of water in reser¬ 
voirs, as far as practicable, the only alternative. Such a system is much better 
for navigation, since the low-water flow is confined to a channel commensurate 
with its volume. 

The main principles which it has been assumed should govern in planning a 
by-pass system of flood control are— 

First. That the largest practicable volume of water consistent with the main¬ 
taining of good navigable conditions and without raising levees to excessive and 
dangerous heights, should be forced through the main channels. 













FLOOD CONTROL. 


37 


Second. That by-passes should occupy the troughs of the basins, and that the 
side levees for same occupying the highest available ground should be con¬ 
structed. as far as practicable, from material excavated from within the by-pass. 

Third. That the weirs over which water is diverted from the river to by-passes 
should be as long as is economically practicable, so that a high stage of water 
may be maintained in the river and so that the diversion of water may be 
effected in a thin layer and with as low a velocity as possible to avoid carrying 
into the by-passes a large amount of sediment from the river. 

Fourth. That canals should be constructed to intercept the drainage from 
lands bordering the basins to reduce the volume of water which will have to be 
pumped from those lands adjoining the by-passes and river, which are too low 
to be drained naturally. 

In fixing the fiood planes or high-water grade lines noted on the profile as 
“adopted grade lines,” in accordance with which the details of this flood-con¬ 
trol project have been worked out, the elevations at several critical points were 
first fixed and then, by a careful study of slopes in connection with depths and 
cross sections, intermediate points were so established that the channel would 
carry the maximum volume of water without too violent a change in existing 
regimen. 

The elevations of the high-water plane or “ adopted grade line ” at points 
•where the slope changes and the distances and slopes between these points are 
as follows: 

Table 2. 



High- 
water ele¬ 
vations. 

Distance 

(miles). 

Slopes 
in feet 
per mile. 

Collinsville. 

7.0 

15.0 

23.5 

35.0 

40.0 

54.0 

69.2 

86.0 

118.0 

141.54 

15.9 
/ 18.3 

\ 11.4 

27.7 

19.5 
/ 43.4 

\ s 37.0 

27.0 

12.6 
20.0 
17.6 

0.503 

1 .464 

2 .745 
.415 
.256 
.323 

s .379 
.564 
1.33 
1.60 
1.33 

Mouth of Cache Slough. 

Head of Steamboat Slough. 

Mouth of American River. 

Mouth of Feather River. 

Tisdale Weir. 

1 mile above Colusa. 

Moultons Break. 

2£ miles below Jacinto. 

Chico Creek. 





1 Via Old River. 2 Via Steamboat Slough. 3 With cut-offs. 


With reference to the fixing of the elevation of the flood-flow grade line at 
Collinsville at so high an elevation as 7 feet, the following data are given. This 
elevation for mean tide was used by the Dabney commission with the explana¬ 
tion that it was probably too high for any but extraordinary conditions. Such 
extraordinary conditions actually existed during the time of the January, 1909, 
flood. The automatic registering gauges maintained by this office at Collinsville 
and at Benicia showed that during the period of one tidal cycle of 25 hours, 
i. e., from one lower low water to the following one, the mean height of tide at 
Collinsville was at elevation 7.2, with a maximum height of 9.7 feet. During 
the period of two tidal cycles, 50 hours, the mean height of tide was 6.9 feet. 
At Benicia the corresponding heights were 6.5 feet and 6.1 feet, respectively. 
At San Francisco during the same 50-hour period the mean height of tide was 
0.9 foot above the mean of predicted heights. 

The following table shows approximately the present capacity of the river 
channel up to the high-water line of the floods of 1907 and 1909. This line, 
however, simply shows the height reached before the levees broke and is, of 
course, above the present effective height of the levees. The table also shows 
the capacity to be given each section of the river under the project now pro¬ 
posed and "the volume of water which it will be necessary to carry in the 
by-passes. 




























38 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


Table 3. 


9 

' 

Present 

capacity. 

Capacity by proposed 
plan. 

River 

channel. 

m 

By-pass. 

Above Stony Creek. . 


250,000 
260,000 
260,000 
65,000 
65,000 
65,000 
i 30,000 
50,000 
50,000 
100,000 
100,000 
46,000 
54,000 


Stony Creek to Jacinto. . 



Jacinto to Moultons Break.. . 

i 40,666 
100,000 
70,000 
60,000 
23,000 
62,000 
36,000 
127,000 
75,000 
^ 34,000 
< 49,000 

5 300,000 

5 200,000 


Moultons Break to Cobbs Bend (above Colusa). 

185,000 
185,000 
185,000 
220,000 
400,000 
2 430,000 
2 430,000 
3 500,000 

| 500,000 

Cobbs Bend to Butte Slough. 

Butte Slough to Tisdale Weir. 

Tisdale Weir to Feather River. 

Feather River to Elkhorn Weir. 

Elkhorn Weir to American River. 

American River to Kripp Break. 

Kripp Break to head of Steamboat Slough. 

Steamboat Slough. 

Old River... 

Cache Slough to Threemile Slough. 

Below Threemile Slough.... 

. 

600.000 





1 27,000 without cut-offs. 

2 Below Cache Creek. 

3 Below Putah Creek and Southern Pacific Ry. 

« These capacities for Old River and Steamboat Slough assume a free outlet, which condition does not 
obtain after passage of first flood wave down the river, as the slope is flattened almost to nothing by back 
water from outlet of Yolo Basin. 

5 These figures represent approximate quantities of water flowing in these sections at crest of floods, but 
are much above their safe capacity, both on account of height and velocity. Safe present capacity below 
Threemile Slough is about 160,000 second-feet. 

The main points to be discussed in connection with this flood-control project 
are: 

(a) The enlargement of the river channel below the mouth of Cache Slough. 

(&) The construction of a weir at Moultons Break of 185,000 second-feet 
capacity to divert water into Butte Basin; the raising and maintenance of Tis¬ 
dale Weir with capacity of 35,000 second-feet to divert water into Sutter Basin; 
the construction of a weir at mouth of Feather River of 400.000 second-feet 
capacity to carry the Butte and Sutter Basin and the Feather River waters into 
Yolo Basin; and the construction of a weir of 70,000 second-feet capacity near 
Sacramento to carry the waters of the Sacramento and American Rivers, in 
excess of the channel capacity below, into Yolo Basin. 

(c) The rectification, in several places, of the river channels. 

id) The raising of river levees, and in places the construction of new ones 
along established lines to the heights required by the adopted flood plane or 
high-water grade line. 

(e) The construction of by-pass levees in Butte, Sutter, and Yolo Basins, 
with wing levees extending up the tributary streams. 

(/) The possible diminution of flood channel capacity by means of storage 
reservoirs in mountains. 

(g) Tributaries. 

( h) The construction of intercepting canals to carry as much as possible of 
the drainage naturally tributary to the flood basins to gravity outlets, and the 
drainage of the lower parts of these basins outside of limits of by-passes. 

( i) The-raising of several bridges and construction of others, both railway 
and highway, in consequence of raising the flood plane. 

The accompanying maps and profiles show T in a general way the locations and 
dimensions of the several features of the project. Many of these are shown 
more in detail on larger-scale maps on file in the office. These several features 
will be discussed separately in the order named. 

(a) enlargement of river channel below mouth of cache slough. 

The situation below mouth of Cache Slough is such that not only does it 
need correction on account of the flood hazard to the lands in the vicinity 
under present conditions, but any project for confining floods to channels (river 
and by-pass) is dependent on there being first provided an outlet for the waters 
which will then reach this point in greater volume than before. The present 
flood capacity of the channel below Threemile Slough up to the adopted grade 
line is only about 160,000 second-feet, and above Threemile Slough it does not 
exceed 220,000 second-feet. 




































FLOOD CONTROL. 


39 


In determining the size of channel necessary to give the required capacity of 
600,000 second-feet a depth of 35 feet at flood stage was adopted after careful 
consideration of the relation of depth to total area of section, to area of dredged 
section, to velocity of current, and to the effect on maintaining low-water 
navigation. The corresponding necessary width (at surface), taking the slope 
due to the cut-off north of Horseshoe Bend above Tolands Landing, is 3,050 
feet where the river is confined to one channel, and it is 2,600 feet in the 
cut-off mentioned, leaving present channel via Horseshoe Bend to carry its 
proportion of the flow. 

Some of the land which it will be necessary to acquire for this work is 
now reclaimed. The point where the channel is now most contracted is at 
Bakers Point on Sherman Island, opposite Tolands Landing. Here it will 
be necessary to set the levee back about 2,500 feet. The quantities of material 
to be moved for channel enlargement and for levee construction and the area 
of land required for channel and for spoil banks will be found under the head 
of estimates. 

Considerable relief from flood conditions will be afforded by the simple 
setting back of levees and the removal of remnants of old levees and fringe 
of trees and brush, which prevent the free movement of water across the 
swampy land north of Horseshoe Bend just above Tolands Landing. By this 
means alone the flood capacity will be increased to about 250,000 second-feet. 

So extensive an increase in the width of the channel to give it the required 
flood-carrying capacity will probably result in a detriment to low-water naviga* 
tion or will require increased expenditures to maintain good navigable channel 
at low water. How this may best be done will require special study. The 
widening of the river from its mouth to Cache Slough will help to increase 
tidal flow, which will be an advantage. 

In comparison with the estimate of cost of enlarging this section of the river 
from the 250,000 second-feet capacity to 600,000 second-feet capacity, which, 
except in so far as it may be done by inducing channel scour, must be done by 
dredging, the quantities involved in making the Denverton 'Cut already re¬ 
ferred to may well be presented here. To carry 350,000 second-feet through 
such a cut would require a free discharge into Suisun Bay. This might pos¬ 
sibly be effected by a cut across Grizzly Island from near the lower end of 
Nurse Slough to the nearest point of the bay, but there is such a vast extent 
of very shoal water between this point and the nearest channel that it is 
thought that the maintenance of a clear outlet wrnuld be much less practicable 
than would be the case if Montezuma Slough, which in its lower course 
averages 600 feet wide and 35 feet deep, were enlarged to the requisite section. 

Assuming th same adverse condition as to tidal height in Suisun Bay as in 
the case of the river channel, and a water surface elevation of 18 feet in Yolo 
Basin where the flow would diverge from that to the river, the mean slope 
would be 0.406 foot per mile. With a depth of water of 35 feet in a canal 
having side slopes of 1:1, the required width at bottom would be 2,020 feet. 
What seems to be the most favorable location for such a canal is shown on 
sheet No. 6 of the map. This sheet of the map and a profile of the line of the 
canal are on file in this office. 

The estimated total quantity of excavation is 289,000.000 cubic yards, of 
which 17,000,000 cubic yards would be easy (presumably) dredging in Yolo 
Basin, and 100,000,000 cubic yards would be dredging in Suisun Marsh, for 
the most part easy work, but rock might be encountered near Potrero Hills. 
The remainder, 172,00,000 cubic yards, would be in the cut through the saddle 
in the ridge. So far as could be learned from parties who had sunk wells 
along or near this line, no rock is likely to be encountered, but a considerable 
portion of the excavation would be in a hard formation, locally known as hard- 
pan, which, together with the depth of the cut (60 feet maximum), would 
greatly increase the cost per cubic yard. These quantities are greatly in excess 
of those required to effect the same result in the main river channel. As the 
average unit cost will also be greater, it is unnecessary to give the proposition 
further consideration. 

It may be shown also that the proposition to carry Putah Creek by canal 
along the edge of Yolo Basin and thence across this divide to Suisun Bay is 
not economical. As an outlet for small canals to intercept the drainage, above 
an elevation of about 35 feet from the area south of that tributary to Putah 
Creek, this location has some merit, but that is a matter for the consideration 
of the owmers of the land lying below an elevation that can be drained into 
the river after the flood has passed and from which the water must be pumped 
for complete reclamation. 


40 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


(B) THE CONSTRUCTION OF DIVERTING WEIRS. 

This subject is taken up next because provision for relieving the river 
channels of water in excess of their capacities must be made before all the 
numerous breaks in the river levees can safely be closed and the extension 
of the levees made to the heights proposed. With the weirs constructed, 
Butte, Sutter, and Yolo Basins will continue to act as relief reservoirs and 
flood channels, as at present, until such action can be better regulated by the 
confinement of the water to the somewhat restricted areas forming the by¬ 
passes. 

The question of proper location and crest elevation of the weirs has received 
a good deal of attention. As now proposed and shown on the maps and profile, 
the two principal weirs are at Moultons Break, on east side of river about 13 
miles above Colusa, and on the south bank of the river opposite and extending 
upstream from the mouth of the Feather River. The former, which will be 
called Moulton Weir, is designed to divert 185.000 second-feet. Its length is 
to be 2,840 feet and its sill will be at elevation 79 feet—7 feet below the adopted, 
high-water grade line. The latter, which will be called the Fremont Weir, is 
designed to divert 400.000 second-feet. It is planned to be 8,000 feet long with 
its sill at elevation 30. or 10 feet below the adopted high-water grade line. 

Moulton Weir is nearly opposite the point (Caldens or Comptons Landing) 
selected by the Dabney commission for the upper temporary diversion. The 
reason for locating it on the east side instead of the west will appear later in 
connection with the subject of location of by-passes. This point is as far down¬ 
stream as it is practicable to bring the flood volume between the river levees 
even with the high-water grade line adopted. 

By the adjustment of the grade line shown it will be possible to carry the 
water in the-river without further diversion to Tisdale Weir, thus permitting 
the permanent cutting off of the outlet through Butte Slough. 

Tisdale Weir, with a length of 1,140 feet and crest at elevation 42 3, is located 
about 7 miles below Grimes. It was built by the State a few years ago. To 
conform to this project its crest will be raised to elevation 50, or 4 feet below 
the adopted high-water grade line. 

Between Fremont Weir and the mouth of American River the channel capacity 
of Sacramento River will be sufficient to carry the 50,000 second-feet, which 
is the excess of estimated flow reaching the mouth of Feather River over the 
capacity of the weir there. 

The Elkhorn Weir, also built by the State, about 0 miles below the mouth of 
Feather River, will therefore be abandoned and closed. 

For a distance of about 8 miles below the mouth of the American it might 
be practicable to enlarge the flood capacity of the river channel to carry the 
waters of the American in addition to those of the Sacramento not diverted at 
Fremont Weir. But it is thought that the interests of navigation, which are 
much greater below Sacramento than above, would be better served by limiting 
the flood capacity of this section to that of the channels below and permitting 
the construction of wharves and terminals on the west side of he river. This 
would be accomplished by constructing the Sacramento Weir at Brytes Bend, 
about 2| miles above the mouth of American River. Its proposed length is 
1,667 feet and the elevation of its crest 30.6 feet,-or 4.4 feet below the adopted 
high-water elevation at mouth of American River. 

The length and depth of sill below flood height of water of each weir, as 
given above, are those necessary to pass the specified volume when the by-pass 
below is running to its full capacity, but as this condition will not be reached 
until there has been a flood into it at a mean rate as great as its capacity, 
sufficiently long for the by-pass channel to become filled, the same volume will 
in the meantime pass the weir at increased velocity and decreased depth. 
Thus, in the case of the Fremont Weir, if the assumed maximum rate of flow 
should be reached early in the flood, so that there would be free egress for the 
water from a temporarily raised crest on the sill of the weir, a depth of about 
5.5 feet on the crest would give this discharge and the full depth of 10 feet 
would be needed only during the latter part of a long-sustained flood. By build¬ 
ing suitable steel frames on the sill of the weir to support adjustable stop 
planks reaching up to within, say, 2 feet of the allowable flood height, the 
amount of water drawn off over the weir could be so regulated by these stop 
planks, removing one row at a time, as the volume of water increased, as to 
force the greatest possible flow down the river channel and hold the surface 
up to the established high-water mark much longer than would otherwise be the 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


41 


case. The necessity of removing all the stop planks would arise only at the 
times of the very exceptional floods, which are separated by intervals of several 
years. 

The superstructure of the weirs may be so designed that the release of one 
stop plank will automatically release all, or any desired number, of the other 
planks in its row. The substructures will necessarily be founded on piles which 
will project so far above permanently wet ground that concrete piles should 
be used. Wooden ones would be too short lived. This construction will neces¬ 
sarily be expensive, and the designs will require much study. 

(c) RECTIFICATION OF RIVER CHANNELS AND PROTECTION OF BANKS. 

In the portion of the river between Colusa and the mouth of Feather River 
a number of cut-offs may be made with beneficial results both to navigation 
and to flood-carrying capacity. Between Sacramento and the mouth of Cache 
Slough there are a few places where the cross section must be increased 
by a slight widening, and the entrance to Steamboat Slough must be much 
enlarged to give the desired capacity as per Table No. 3. 

Above Colusa, however, although the river is very crooked, the slopes are 
steep and any material cut-off of bends would increase them. The resulting 
increase of velocity would aggravate bank caving and cause even more rapid 
changes in the regimen of the stream than those which now make the main¬ 
tenance of good navigable conditions difficult. Straightening the channel would 
doubtless momentarily increase its flood-carrying capacity, but the tendency 
of the river to readjust its bed to conform to its current would in a few 
years probably cause it to return to a condition no better able to carry a 
large flood volume, unless very extensive bank-protection works were main¬ 
tained, than before. 

Although the present commerce carried on the river is not sufficient of itself 
to warrant very extensive bank-pro ection works, there are several places 
where such protection works, in my opinion, would be abundautly justified 
by the combined benefit to navigation and to agricultural lands; to the lat er 
both by reason of preventing further caving into the river of the adjacent 
land and by reason of increased flood-carrying capacity. 

Four cut-offs in the extremely crooked portion of the river between Cran- 
more and the mouth of Feather River are proposed. Each of these will be 
considered by itself, but the combined effect of them all will be to shor en the 
channel 6.43 miles, to eliminate several very sharp turns, and to increase 
the flood-carrying capacity about 3,000 second-feet (from 27,000 to 30,000 
second-feet). By reason of the shortening, the increased velocity, due to in¬ 
creased slope, will result in slightly decreased depths at low water, but not 
enough to have any serious effect on navigation, as exceptionally good depths 
exist here. 

The banks along this part of the river are stable and would not be injuriously 
affected by the small increase in velocity. 

At low water velocity would be increased from 2.32 to 2.44 feet per second, 
and at high water it would be increased from 3.3 to 3.6 feet per second, approxi¬ 
mately. 

Several data regarding the suggested cut-offs are shown in tabulated form 

below: 

Table 4. 


Location, cutting out— 



Grays 

and 

Woods 

Bends. 

Collins 

Eddy. 

Ministe¬ 
rial Bend 
and Kirk- 
ville. 

Race¬ 

track 

Bend. 

Total. 

Length of cut . miles.. 

Distance, channel shortened. - - - do.... 

Quantity of excavating . cubic yards.. 

Amount of material to raise levees along present 

lines.cubic yards.. 

Increase in flood-carrying capacity- ; .second-feet.. 

Per cent of reduction in required capacity, Sutter by- 

DflQQ hplnw r nisH flip. W P i r _ . 

0.50 

3 18 
586,000 

757,000 
1,475 

.68 

55 

0.25 
.57 
231,000 

162,500 
265 

. 12 

10 

0.35 
1.48 
397,000 

243,500 
700 

.32 

26 

0.30 
1.20 
317,000 

202,800 
560 

.25 

20 

1.40 

6.43 

1,531,000 

1,365,800 

3,000 

1.37 

111 

Possible decrease in acreage of by-pass, account cut¬ 
offs.acres.. 
































42 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


In each case the material excavated in making the cut-off channel will be 
more than sufficient to build the levees paralleling it on either side. It will be 
seen from the above table that in the case of Grays Bend the amount of exca¬ 
vation is actually less than that required to raise levees along present lines. 
In the cases of the other cut-offs the material that would be required to raise 
the existing levees is from 30 to 40 per cent less than that required to make the 
channel excavation. This difference would probably be largely offset, however, 
by the smaller unit cost of the cut-off channel excavations. 

The decrease in area of land required for by-pass by reason of the cut-offs 
is less than that required to make the cut-offs, except in the case of the Grays 
Bend cut-off, and its present value per acre is also less. 

Other points in favor of the cut-offs are the lessened cost of maintenance of 
levees, because of decreased length, and the improvement of navigation due 
to the elimination of four very bad bends and shortening the distance 6.43 
miles. 

Between Sacramento and the head of Steamboat Slough there are three 
points only where changes affecting the alignment of the river are proposed. 
In each case the levee at a bend of the river will be moved back for a length of 
about 1,800 feet, in two instances a maximum distance of 200 feet, and in the 
other 500 feet. At the upper end of Steamboat Slough it will be necessary to 
increase the space between levees from about 350 feet (the present width) to 
650 feet, from the head to Sutter Slough, a distance of about 41 miles. 

(d) the river levee system. 

Below Colusa no radical change in the location of the river levees is proposed 
except as noted under previous headings, viz: the Sherman Island levees at 
mouth of river and at Bakers Point opposite Tolands Landing; along upper 
course of Steamboat Slough, partly on Grand and partly on Sutter Island; 
at three points between the head of Steamboat Slough and mouth of Feather 
River; and at the points where cut-offs are proposed. 

Between Colusa and the mouth of Chico Creek the present location of levees 
will generally be followed, making some changes as shown on accompanying 
map, and perhaps some others if a more minute study of the ground shows them 
to be feasible. It is not practicable to follow the windings of the channel, for 
several reasons. In many places rapid cutting of banks is going on, with conse¬ 
quent frequent changes in location of the channel. This has resulted in the 
formation of many lakes and sloughs, to go around which has resulted in 
placing the levees, in some instances, more than 11 miles apart. To have 
crossed the sloughs with levees would have been prohibitive in first cost and to 
maintain them would have been impracticable. 

By following the higher ground, cutting across from bend to bend, a large 
area is left between the river and the levees. Excepting the lakes and former 
channels, the ground between levees is high and becomes unwatered promptly 
after the passage of a flood. Much of it is exceedingly fertile, and when cleared 
of the tropical jungle which naturally covers it, it becomes very valuable agri¬ 
cultural land. 

Above Moulton Weir it will be necessary to keep a strip of land varying from 
a few hundred feet to one-half mile wide, adjoining the channel, clear of 
timber and brush to provide the necessary cross section for the flood discharge. 
Where the soil is suitable, which is generally the case except where gravel 
bars exist, such cleared strip would be available for agricultural purposes. 
The estimated cost of clearing this land should be sufficient to cover also 
the necessary easements to the property, since the owners’ use of the land, in 
most cases, will not be curtailed and the clearing will be an actual benefit to 
them. 

In general it is planned to give the levees a crown width of 10 feet, side slopes 
of 3 horizontal to 1 vertical, and a height 3 feet above high water. Below the 
mouth of Cache Slough, where the width of the river is so great that wave 
action will at times be serious, the height is made 5 feet above high water. 
On the upper river, where the levees are a long distance from the channel and 
separated from it by a growth of timber, so that only slack water reaches them, 
the section may be somewhat reduced. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


43 


(e) by-passes. 

The storage capacity of the several flood overflow basins up to the height 
reached by the water during the flood of 1007 and the flooded areas are ap¬ 
proximately as follows: 


Acre-feet. 

------ 

Acres. 

Colusa Basin. 

880,000 
407,000 
1,038,000 
1,126,000 
571,000 

93,000 

54,000 

116,000 

140,000 

70,000 

Butte Basin. 

Sutter Basin. 

Yolo Basin. 

American Basin. 

Total. 

4,022,000 





Assuming a mean discharge of the river of 600.000 cubic feet per second, of 
which the river below Sacramento would carry, in its present condition, SO,000 
second-feet, and that the discharge through Cache Slough would increase dur¬ 
ing the time this mean flow of 600,000 second-feet continued from nothing to 
250,000, giving, when this discharge had been reached, a flow past Rio Vista 
and through Georgiana Slough equal to the capacity of these channels, the 
basin capacity would be filled at the mean rate of 475,000 second-feet. At this 
rate it would take four and one-fourth days to fill the five basins mentioned. 

With the river channel capacity increased to the extent contemplated by this 
project, and with the lands in the basins reclaimed, leaving only sufficient areas 
for by-passes, the storage capacity of these would be exhausted much sooner, 
while, as has been shown, a mean flow at the rate mentioned may be expected, 
for a period of four days. Therefore, by-passes of capacity sufficient to carry 
continuously the volumes specified in Table 3 must be provided. The possible 
effect of storage in these by-passes will be shown later. 

Below the mouth of Feather River there is no choice as to location, which 
will be down the trough of Yolo Basin to its outlet through Cache Slough. 

For location of by-pass to carry the water from the upper weir, Colusa 
Basin offers the advantage that the water would not have to be taken across 
the river, but could be turned directly into Yolo Basin. This would reduce 
the required capacity of the Fremont Weir about one-half. The disadvantages, 
however, outweigh the advantage. With the most favorable high-water grade 
line for the Colusa Basin by-pass, a cut through the ridge south of Knights 
Landing 14 miles long and 4,900 feet wide with a maximum depth of 10 feet 
would be required. This would involve the excavation of about 6,000,000 
cubic yards of material, the cost of which would be almost twice as much as 
for that portion of the Fremont Weir required to pass an equivalent volume of 
water. 

The area of land required for the Colusa by-pass would be nearly 4,000 acres 
in excess of that for the Sutter-Butte Basin by-pass. This excess acreage 
would be land lying on the Knights Landing Ridge, which is of much greater 
value per acre than that in the basin bottoms. In addition to this, the Colusa 
Basin by-pass would require the maintenance of about 18 miles more levee 
than the other and would require the raising of one railroad bridge and the 
construction of another, longer than that crossing the proposed Sutter Basin 
by-pass. It would also cross a greater number of highways. The advantages 
which the Sutter Basin by-pass has over one in Colusa Basin more than com¬ 
pensate for the increased cost of weir sill and superstructure. 

The grade line of high-water surface in by-passes has, as far as practicable, 
been fixed so that depths of water along the levees should not exceed 18 feet. 

The width of channel between levees, as shown on the map, varies from 1,900 
feet to 4,100 feet in Butte and Sutter Basin by-pass, increasing to 5,500 feet 
just above junction with Feather River, and from 7,500 feet to 12,000 feet in 
Yolo Basin. 

Near the lower end of the Yolo Basin by-pass Cache Slough, through which 
the basin discharges its water into Sacramento River, increases in depth and 
cross section and becomes capable of carrying about 112,500 second-feet. It 
thus becomes possible to narrow the space between by-pass levees: but to carry 
the whole flow of 500,000 second-feet into the river, at the junction of Steam¬ 
boat Slough and Old River, it would be necessary, as the levees approach each 























44 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


other, to increase the width of the deep channel (now averaging 45 feet deep 
below the adopted grade line) in the lower 3 miles of its course, from its present 
width of about 500 feet to one of about 2,600 feet at its mouth. This would, 
however, involve more than 50,000,000 cubic yards of dredging. Some enlarge¬ 
ment of Cache Slough at* its lower end, as shown on map, even with by-pass 
outlet contracted only to the extent necessitated by the topography, will be 
required. 

The lines for the by-pass levees shown on map and the heights of water 
surface shown on profile are those required for the completed project. Con¬ 
struction to these lines need not necessarily be undertaken all at once, but 
may be made in connection with projects for reclaiming separate portions of the 
basins. 

As planned and estimated for here the leeves would be constructed to a 
height of 6 feet in Yolo Basin and 5 feet in Sutter and Butte Basins above 
high-water mark with 10 feet crest and side slopes of one vertical to three 
horizontal. This large section was assumed on account of the possible severe 
w 'e action and on acco nt of the character of the material which in places 
will likely settle excessively. 

It is planned to build the levees as far as practicable by dredging from a 
channel along the by-pass side of them, thus increasing the by-pass section 
and providing a good drainage canal for the lands within the by-pass. After 
the flood season has passed it should then be possible to use for agricultural 
purposes so much of the areas within the Yolo Basin by-pass as lie well above 
high-tide level, or, say, above elevation 10 feet; so much of Sutter Basin by-pass 
as lies above the water surface elevation of the Sacramento River at Fremont 
on, say, the 1st of June: and all of Butte B-’sin except Butte Slough and 
worthless land along the foot of Marysville Buttes. On the 1st of June, 1909, 
the water surface at Fremont was at elevation 26.8. In 1908 and 1910 it was 
much lower. This means that about 38,000 acres, or nearly 50 per cent of the 
total areas of the by-passes would be available for agricultural use. 

The area of land in each of the three basins that would be used for by-passes, 
including land occupied by levees, is approximately as follows: 


Acros. 

Yolo Basin_ 56,545 

Sutter Basin_13, 970 

Butte Basin_ 7, 570 


78, 085 

and the capacities of these by-passes up to the allowed high-water mark 
would be, for Yolo Basin, 765,000 acre-feet and for Sutter and Butte Basins 
277.000 acre-feet. 

With the river levees intact and the stop planks in place on overflow weirs 
a very moderate flood would fill the river channel to its capacity and there 
would be a large flow into Sutter Basin by-pass at its lower end, filling it to 
the elevation of the crest of the Fremont Weir. This would greatly reduce 
the capacity of this by-pass for storage when an extreme flood occurs. Assum¬ 
ing, however, that the full by-pass storage capacity is available for receiving 
flood waters after the river channel has become filled and is carrying the esti¬ 
mated flow before a flood having a mean rate of 600.000 second-feet occurs, the 
following figures show the effect of the by-passes on the flow in the river below 
Cache Slough and the length of time which it will take the by-passes to fill; 

First. With the river widened as planned but not deepened: 

Second-feet. 


Capacity of river below Rio Vista_ 250,000 

Of this, Steamboat Slough and Old River contribute_ 100, 000 

Leaving for outflow from Yolo Basin through Cache Slough_ 150, 000 


While this outflow of 150,000 second-feet is being attained the actual outflow 
will increase from 0 to 150,000 second-feet and the mean rate of outflow will 
be not far from 75.000 second-feet. The mean rate of flow into Yolo, Sutter, 
and Butte Basins will be (600,000—100.000 ) 500.000 second-feet. The rate at 
which by-pass storage will then be filled equals (500.000—75,000) 425,000 
second-feet. At this rate the 1,042,000 acre-feet capacity will be filled in 1.2 
days. When this point is reached the outflow from the basin would be at the 
rate of 150,000 second-feet and the rate of increase of storage would be 
(500,000—150,000 ) 350,000 second-feet. 

The continuance of the flood at this rate for a longer time would, of course, 
raise the flood plane in Yolo Basin to a higher level than the assumed one, with 









FLOOD CONTROL. 


45 


consequent increase in capacity of about 1.8 hours flow per foot of height. 
Such an increase in height, resulting in increased slope on the lower river, 
would increase the discharge there, but at the expense of greater hazard to 
property on account of higher water and increased velocity. 

Second. With the lower river increased in capacity to 600,000 second-feet it 
could carry off from Yolo Basin 500,000 second-feet. While this outflow is 
being attained the actual outflow will increase from 0 to 500,000 second-feet 
and the mean rate will be not far from 250,000 second-feet, and the rate at 
which by-pass storage will then be tilled is (500,000—250,000 ) 250,000 second- 
feet. At this rate 1,042,000 acre-feet capacity will be filled in 2.1 days, after 
which the assumed rate of flow would cause no further increase in height. 

(f) feasibility of reducing flood-channel dimensions by storage of flood 

WATER IN MOUNTAIN RESERVOIRS. 

The United States Reclamation Service has made surveys of many reservoir 
sites in both the Sierras and the Coast Range. Advance sheets of the maps 
of several of these sites have been obtained by this office. The sites where 
the construction of reservoirs gave promise of some material relief to flood con¬ 
ditions in the valley were visited—those in the Coast Range by Capt. W. P. 
Stokey, Corps of Engineers, United States Army, and those in the Sierras by 
myself—to acquire information for use in making estimates of probable cost 
of such storage. In three instances surveys of dam sites were made and in 
another the maps of surveys made for an electrical power development com¬ 
pany were secured. 

In the case of the Coast Range reservoirs, estimates of cost as favorable as 
possible to the project of utilizing them for flood control, compared with the 
saving which their use would make in reducing dimensions of by-passes, flood 
channels, and the several structures they will necessitate, show that it will 
not be economical to construct them for that purpose. Several of them will 
doubtless be used in the near future for storing water for irrigation and power 
development. A project is now on foot for utilizing Clear Lake for this pur¬ 
pose, and it calls for the use of so much water that the total flow into the lake 
will probably have to be stored to supply it. When carried out these works 
will have a slightly ameliorating effect on floods. 

In the Sierras are three reservoir sites where either all or a very large part 
of the season’s run-off from the tributary drainage areas may be stored at a 
cost per acre-foot less than at any of the Coast Range sites. None of these are 
in the region of greatest precipitation and most rapid run-off, but they are 
thought to be the most favorable for the purpose of any of the possible sites. 
Such large storage capacity as these reservoirs would afford would make it 
possible to store the water required for very extensive irrigation and power 
projects, and still leave room to hold all the run-off from the tributary area 
during a storm period such as that which caused the flood of 1907. 

The following table gives data relative to the storage capacities of these 
reservoirs for two heights of dam in each case, also the effect which such 
storage would have in reducing the estimated necessary channel capacity: 

Table 5 .—Reservoir data. 


Reservoirs. 


Height of dam above low-water surface of 
river.feet.. 

Area of reservoir.acres.. 

Storage capacity.acre-feet.. 

Tributary drainage area-square miles.. 

Total run-off during February and March, 
1907 .acre-feet.. 

Total run-off during 4 days of greatest flow, 
March, 1907.acre-feet.. 

Mean flow during same 4-day period, 
cubic feet per second. 


Big Valley, Pit 
River. 

Indian Valley, In¬ 
dian Creek. 

Big Meadows, 
North Fork, 
Feather River. 

70 

100 

110 

120 

85 

105 

50,800 

72,300 

12,200 

12,600 

22,000 

24,756 

1.200.000 

3,100,000 

450,000 

600,000 

450,000 

866,006 

2,950 


810 


460 

659,000 

304,000 

i 172,500 

195,000 

77,400 

i 44,000 

24,600 

9,750 

i 5,520 


i These figures were obtained by using the run-off per square mile at Crescent 
There was no gauging station on North Fork, Feather River. 


Mills on Indian Creek, 




























46 FLOOD CONTROL. 

EFFECT OF STORING THIS FLOOD DISCHARGE IN THE RESERVOIRS, IN DIMINISHING 
THE ESTIMATED REQUIRED CAPACITIES OF FLOOD CHANNELS. 


Above Moulton Weir 

Per cent. 

9.S 

Per cent. 

Per cent. 

Butte and Sutter Basin by-pass above Tis¬ 
dale Weir 

13.3 


_ __. 

Sutter Basin by-pass below Tisdale Weir.. 
Yolo Basin by-pass. 

11.2 



5.1 

2.0 

1.1 

Below Cache Slough. 

4.1 

1.6 

.9 

Feather River: 

Above Marysville. 

6.5 

3.7 

Below Marysville. 


3.9 

2.2 






It will be noticed that in each case the storage capacity of reservoir, with the 
lower dam, will be greatly in excess of the total run-olf for the months of 
February and March, 1907. This capacity will be ample to completely control 
the flood flow from the drainage area above. In this connection it may be 
noted that the storage of the total run-off of Pitt River above the canyon at 
outlet of Big Valley for the months of February and March, 1907, would have 
provided water enough to increase die low-water flow 3,000 cubic feet per 
second for 100 days. 

In the estimates on the cost of these storage reservoirs the ones depending 
on the lower dam are taken in each case. In the preceding table the height 
of dam above the low-water surface of the river is given, for the reason that 
the total height above a suitable foundation is not known, as will appear in 
the statements which follow. 

Big Valley .—The elevation of this valley is about 4,200 feet above sea level. 
•Within the area which would be overflowed is the town of Bieber. Lookout, a 
smaller town, is located on ground which would not be overflowed by a reservoir 
formed by a dam of the height now being considered. The land is of very vary¬ 
ing character. Some portions near the river and tributary creek channels are 
rich agricultural lands. Other portions have an adobe soil, which in many 
places very thinly overlies the bedrock. From the number of vacant buildings 
and apparently abandoned ranches, these lands can not have been very produc¬ 
tive. Railway lines projected through the valley, surveys for which are now 
being made, will increase the land values over those given in the following 
estimate. 

The rock formation of the canyon where the several possible dam sites are 
located is of lava, varying in character from hard basalt or block lava, ranging 
in specific gravity from 2.65 to 2.80, to tufa, having a specific gravity of 2.1 or 
less and an absorption of 7* per cent. Indications are favorable for a quarry, 
producing rock suitable for concrete. The question of the suitability of the 
foundation for a dam 70 feet in height can be determined only after extensive 
test pits and core-drill holes have been sunk. 

The estimated cost of dam is based on a gravity section having a maximum 
height of 90 feet. Rock capable of bearing the pressure may be found at a less 
depth than 20 feet, but the uncertainty as to the necessity of going to a great 
depth with a cut-off wall does not justify a decreased estimate of cost. 

Estimate of cost , Big Valley Reservoir. 


Land: 

10,000 acres, at $100__$1, 000, 000 

8,000 acres, at $50___ 400, 000 

10,000 acres, at $20-- 200, 000 

26.400 acres, at $5_ 132, 000 

-$1, 732, 000 

Ranch buildings_ 130, 000 

Town of Bieber, buildings and capitalization of income from de¬ 
stroyed businesses-- 400, 000 

Dam: 

26, 000 cubic yards excavation, at $1_ $26, 000 

58.400 cubic yards concrete, at $12 1 _ 700,800 

- 726.800 


Total---_ 2, 988, 800 


1 Present freight rate on cement from San Francisco to Bieber is $24.75 per ton. 


































FLOOD CONTROL. 


47 


This cost of the reservoir is believed to he under rather than over estimated. 
The lessening in cost of works for controlling floods, under the project here pro¬ 
posed, which this reservoir would effect is (referring to Table No. 5) approxi¬ 
mately as follows: 

Lands: 

13.3 per cent of 11,560 acres_1, 540 

11.2 per cent of 9,190 acres_1, 028 

5.1 per cent of 56,545 acres_2, 882 

5.5 per cent 1 of 2,989 acres_ 164 


Total-5, 614, at $25_$140,350 

Excavation: 

5.5 per cent 1 of 144,452,000 cubic yards (7,950,000 cubic yards), 

at 5 cents_ 397,500 

Structures: 

13.3 per cent of cost of Moulton Weir_ 37, 800 

5.1 per cent of cost of Fremont Weir_ 54, S00 

5 per cent 2 of cost of bridges over by-pass channels_ 98, 700 


729,150 

This estimate of the amount that cost of flood-control works would be 
lessened by reason of the great storage capacity of Big Valley Reservoir is less 
than 25 per cent of the estimated cost of the reservoir. 

Indian Valley .—The elevation of this valley is about 3,500 feet above sea 
level. Within the area which would be overflowed are the small towns of 
Orescent Mills and Taylorsville. The reservoir would extend close to the limits 
of the considerably larger town of Greenville. The mine of the Crescent Mills 
Mining Co. has been closed down for several years awaiting cheaper power for 
pumping out its flooded workings. The filling of the reservoir would probably 
result in the impracticability of ever pumping out the mine. The valley is 
composed largely of good agricultural land now devoted quite extensively to 
dairying. The recent completion of the Western Pacific Railway has added to 
the value of the land. 

The outcropping rock at the only feasible dam site on Indian Creek seems to 
be a hard, massive dioryte, but there is so great an accumulation of frag¬ 
mentary rock, bowlder, and soil that the depth to a safe foundation is un¬ 
known. The estimated cost of dam is based on a gravity section having a 
maximum height of 130 feet, as the conformation of the sides of the canyon 
and the banks of the creek do not indicate bed rock within less than 20 feet 
of the low-water surface of the creek. Quite possibly it is much deeper. 


Estimate of cost, Indian Valley Reservoir. 

Land : 12,600 acres, at $50- $630, 000 

Buildings in towns of Crescent Mills and Taylorsville and on ranches; 

and capitalization of incomes from destroyed businesses_ 630, 000 

Mining property- 100, 000 

Dam : 

28,000 cubic yards excavation, at 75 cents- $21, 000 

105,600 cubic yards concrete, 3 at $9.50- 1,003,200 

- 1, 024, 200 


Total 


2, 384, 200 


As the flood discharge which this reservoir would intercept is only about 40 
per cent of that which Big Valley would intercept, while the cost of this reser¬ 
voir is 80 per cent of the other, it is evident without further consideration that 
no saving in the cost of the project would result from the construction of this 
reservoir. 

Big Meadows .—The elevation of Big Meadows is about 4,400 feet above sea 
level. A large portion of the reservoir site, including the dam site, is owned 


1 The flow intercepted bv the reservoir is 4.1 per cent of maximum below Cache Slough, 
but it would effect a diminution of 5.5 per cent of the required increase in dimensions of 

od 

2 Five per cent is approximate mean of reduction in cost of bridges over the by-pass 
CllAQD 0] g 

3 Freight rate on cement from San Francisco to Crescent Mills is $13 per ton. 






















48 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


by the Great Western Power Co. Tlie rock formation at the clam sites is prac¬ 
tically the same as that at the Big Valley dam sites. Diamond drill holes 
show lava, varying in density and hardness from that of basalt to that of 
tufa for a depth of 100 feet or more. A dam here will evidently be very ex¬ 
pensive. The power company is now making more thorough investigation as to 
the character of the foundation. 

Considering the facts that the flood discharge from Big Meadows was only 
about one-fourth, while the acreage required for a reservoir is about one-half 
as much as that for Big Valley; and that the present owners of the controlling 
interest in the lands will evidently use the site for a reservoir in connection 
with its power-development plants; it would be neither economical nor prac¬ 
ticable for either the Federal or State Governments to construct a reservoir 
here for flood-controlling purposes. 

As the storage of water for power purposes would result in increased sum¬ 
mer flow with consequent beneftt to navigation at low-water season, and 
would also relieve the flood situation to the extent already pointed out, some 
arrangement might be possible by which the constructors of the reservoir 
could be reimbursed for a part of the expense, provided the reservoir was so 
operated as to give a maximum benefit both to low water and to flood con¬ 
ditions. 

A similar statement might be made concerning the use of Big Valley by 
either a private corporation or by the United States Reclamation Service. 


(g) tributaries. 


Flood waters of all the tributary streams can be carried between levees 
raised to heights conforming with those adopted for the Sacramento with 


radical changes of alignment or location in a few places only. Each of the 
principal streams will be considered separately. With the levee system modified 
as here specified, it will be a matter of equal importance that the space between 
them, or the specified portion of this space, be kept cleared of trees and brush, 
which naturally grow in great luxuriance. 

American River .—Adopted high-water plane at mouth is at elevation 35. The 
assumed high-water slope is 1.7 feet per mile from the mouth for 8| miles, or 
to elevation 49. then a slope of 2.64 feet, per mile for 2.7 miles, or 
55. At this point, 10.95 miles above the mouth, the high-water 
within the trough of the river's valley and marks the end of the 
The north levee strikes high ground 84 miles above the mouth. 


to elevation 
elevation is 
south levee. 
The grades 


adopted by the city of Sacramento for top of levees at Twenty-third Street and 
at Elves are 3 feet above the high-water plane here described. The grade of 
the Southern Pacific Railway track from Elvas nearly to Perkins is well above 
this plane. To pass the 120,000 second-feet assumed flood discharge requires 
that at and near the mouth the levees be not closer together than 2,000 feet 
and that this space be kept cleared. Approximately this same width should be 
kept clear for several miles up the river. A considerable portion of this area 
is now under cultivation. Waters recede from it rapidly after a flood. Recla¬ 
mation projects now being carried on will doubtless necessitate very material 
changes in the lines for levees from those shown on accompanying maps. 

Feather River .—The tentatively adopted high-water planes for this river are 
as follows: 



High-water 

elevation 

(feet). 

Distance 

(miles). 

Mean 
slope per 
mile (ad¬ 
justments 
necessary). 

Mouth. 

40.0 

66.5 

75.5 
128.0 

25.0 

4.7 

24.9 

8.9 

1.06 

1.9 

Cross section No. 3, 1 mile below Eliza Bend.. 

Yuba City Bridge.. 

1 mile below head of Butte County Canal. 

2.1 



These high-water elevations and slopes require changes in the levee system 
below the mouth of Bear River, substantially as shown on accompanying maps. 
It also involves a change in location of about 5 miles of the Knights Landing 
branch of the Southern Pacific Railway, which would then occupy the crest of 
the levee for most of that distance. 

























FLOOD CONTROL. 


49 


There is an extensive area east of the Feather River between the Bear and 
Yuba Rivers, in which are large lakes and swamp lands and of which we have 
not sufficient data to determine even approximately the proper locations of 
levees. This will not affect flood conditions on the Sacramento materially, 
and with provision made for carrying the Feather, Bear, and Yuba River 
waters to an outlet, there will be no serious problems involved in the reclama¬ 
tion of this area. 

The assumed high-water elevation for the junction of the Yuba and Feather 
Rivers is but one-half foot higher than that of the actual high water of Janu¬ 
ary, 1909. 

Above Marysville it is proposed to raise and strengthen the levees on the 
east side of the Feather to the mouth of Honcut Creek; thence up the south 
side of that creek to high ground. The west side levee will need be extended 
to and across Hamilton Slough, through which flood waters now escape from 
Feather River to Butte Basin. It is understood that arrangements have been 
made by a gold-dredging company to construct that part of this levee crossing 
the head of Hamilton Slough. 

Bear River .—At mouth of Bear River the assumed high-water plane is at 
elevation 53 and rises on a slope of 1.06 feet per mile for 7 miles, at which dis¬ 
tance the top of levees, 3 feet above this water plane, will strike surface of 

ground. 

Yui)a River .—The high-water plane at D Street Bridge, Marysville, has been 
assumed at elevation 75.5 (height of 25 feet on gauge at that point), rising on 
a mean slope of 5 feet per mile for 10 miles. Levees along existing lines, 
strengthened and raised in some places on south side to make them safe for 
this height of water, will confine the floods between them, with provision made 
for keeping a width of 2,000 feet clear of obstructions. 

The training walls now being constructed under direction of the California 
Debris Commission downstream from Daguerre Point Cut will confine the 
river to a width of 2,000 feet, but it is impracticable to extend them, at this 
distance apart, to Marysville, as the only available material for building the 
levees will not stand the action of the current which such confinement of flood 
on this steep slope would produce. The flood waters should, however, be con¬ 
fined as far as possible to a single channel by clearing a strip of river bottom. 
This would induce scour, with resulting increase of channel capacity. 

Chico Creek and Stony Creek. —These creeks enter the Sacramento at the 
upper limit of necessary regulating works. Levees along the south bank of 
each are proposed for a distance of about 2£ miles. High-water plane at mouth 
of Chico Creek is at elevation 142, and at mouth of Stony Creek it is at eleva¬ 
tion 134. 

Of the streams which do not enter the Sacramento directly but flow into the 
flood basin, those entering the American Basin, it is assumed, will be taken care 
of by land reclamation companies now organized, by diverting them into Amer¬ 
ican or Bear Rivers, or both. Those of considerable size entering Butte and 
Yolo Basins will need be leveed on each side, connecting with the by-pass 
levees. Smaller streams entering these basins and all those entering Colusa 
Basin will be considered under the head of intercepting canals and basin 
drainage. 


(h) drainage of basins and intercepting canals. 

Besides the streams already described, which at normal stages discharge 
their waters into the Sacramento River and which upon the execution of a 
flood-control project will do so at all stages, there are several smaller streams 
that empty into the flood basins. The principal ones of these, viz, Dry Creek 
and Butte"Creek, discharging into Butte Basin; and Cache, Putah, and Willow 
Creeks, discharging into Yolo Basin, will be carried directly into the by-passes; 
and levees connecting with those of the by-passes will be built along their 
banks to points where the adjoining land is above the flood plane. 

There will still remain considerable areas the run-off from which will accu¬ 
mulate in the lower parts of the basins and in the pockets formed by the junc¬ 
tion of main by-pass and branch creek levees. These areas are: 

496 square miles tributary to Butte Basin. 

382 square miles tributary to Sutter Basin. 

612 square miles tributary to Yolo Basin. 

1,700 square miles tributary to Colusa Basin. 

H. Doc. 81, 62-1-4 



50 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


In tlie case of Butte, Sutter, ancl Yolo Basins gates will be provided by 
means of wliicb, after the passage of the floods, the accumulated water may be 
drained into the by-passes, leaving the more complete reclamation of the land, 
necessitating the installation of pumping plants, to the property owners. The 
run-off from about 250 square miles of the area tributary to Yolo Basin may be 
carried in an intercepting canal to a gravity outlet either in the Sacramento 
River above Rio Vista or through the Denverton Saddle to Denverton Slough 
and Suisun Bay. 

The drainage of Colusa Basin presents greater difficulties. Using the re¬ 
corded run-off from the adjacent and near-by drainage areas of Stony and 
Putali Creeks as a guide (the flow of Cache Creek is regulated to a large extent 
by the reservoir action of Clear Lake), the run-off into Colusa Basin during the 
flood of March, 1907, must have been approximately as follows: 

Maximum daily run-off, 40 second-feet per square mile; greatest 4-day 
mean run-off, 22 second-feet per square mile; mean run-off for February and 
March, 5 second-feet per square mile. 

With these rates of flow the greatest 4-day mean daily run-off from the 1,700 
square miles area would alone amount to 299,000 acre-feet, or the capacity of 
the basin up to about the 33-foot contour, but the mean run-off for the 45 days 
of February and March preceding the 4-day period of greatest flow would 
amount to about 575,000 acre-feet. Therefore, at the end of the 4-day period 
the run-off into the basin would have amounted to 874,000 acre-feet, or the 
capacity of the basin up to the 40-foot contour. The proposed high-water plane 
of the river at Knights Landing, where Sycamore Slough, the natural outlet of 
Cosula Basin, enters the river is at elevation 44.5 feet. During the summer of 
1909 the river at this point did not drop to an elevation of 30 feet until the 
12tli of June. The drainage of the basin into the river would therefore be 
impracticable until late in the season. The only solution of the difficulty is 
a canal through the Knights Landing Ridge. 

It is proposed to cut off Sycamore Slough from the river and to excavate a 
drainage canal following Cache Creek Slough from its junction with Sycamore 
Slough to the south about one-lialf mile, thence cutting directly across the 
ridge and following the lowest ground to the Yolo Basin by-pass. Such a canal 
would have ra free outlet in the Yolo Basin by-pass, except when there is a 
considerable flow over the Fremont Weir. The flood plane of this by-pass at 
the point where the drainage canal would reach it is at elevation 34.5. It 
would, however, be at this elevation for a few days only. The canal would be 
about 7 miles long. 

With the water in Colusa Basin up to the 30-foot contour and that in the 
Yolo by-pass at elevation 25, the hydraulic grade line of the canal would have 
a slope of 0.G7 foot per mile. Excavated to a depth of 15 feet below this grade 
line, with a bottom width of 300 feet and side slopes of 1 to 1, it would have 
a capacity of 10,300 second-feet. 

To keep the water surface in the trough of the basin at as low an elevation 
as a canal of these dimensions would make possible, Sycamore Slough would 
probably need be enlarged for about miles above the head of the canal. 
The canal would then take care of a uniformly distributed run-off of 5 
second-feet per square mile of the drainage area without permitting the rise 
of water in the basin above the 28-foot contour so long as there was a free 
outlet into Yolo Basin by-pass. 

But with the basin filled to the 28-foot contour, the occurrence of a dis¬ 
charge into it of 22 second-feet per square mile of drainage area for four 
days, at a time when the Yolo by-pass would be running full, or to such height 
as to shut off outflow from the basin, would cause a further rise of water 
surface of about 6 feet, and the total volume of water impounded would be 
about 375,000 acre feet. The drainage canal, of dimensions given, would, 
after the subsidence of the water in by-pass, lower the water to the 28-foot 
contour in about nine days and draw it practically all off in about nine days 
more. 

In the more complete reclamation of Colusa Basin by property owners the 
inclosing of a considerable part of the lowest land by levees, say that within the 
28-foot contour, would result in much less accumulation of water and much 
more rapid drainage of the other portions. 

To construct the canal will require the excavation of about 6,700,000 cubic 
yards of material. The maximum depth of cut will be 25 feet, with 1 mile 
averaging 20 feet in depth and 6 miles averaging 15 feet in depth. 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


51 


It would be possible to construct an intercepting canal carrying the discharge 
j 011 * ^’^0 of the 1,(00 square miles tributary to the basin and discharging into 
the Yolo Basin by-pass at flood stage through a cut across the Knights Landing 
Kidge with a maximum depth of 8 feet. The total length of the canal would be 
63 miles. To carry the peak discharge in a section largely above the natural 
surface of the ground would involve the temporary flooding of a very large 
area of land well above the flood plane of the basin, and to construct a canal of 
such capacity with only 20 per cent of its section in excavation would involve 
the excavation of 30,000,000 cubic yards. Any materially less capacity (such 
as that of the mean flow for two months) would require the spilling of"such a 
quantity of water into the trough of the basin that the flood height reached 
there would not be reduced below that which we have seen might exist with a 
drainage canal as described. During normal winters such an intercepting canal 
would prevent any of the run-off from 1,400 square miles from reaching the 
trough of the basin, but the expense makes it impracticable. 


(i) BRIDGES. 

The execution of a flood-control project, along the lines outlined above, will 
necessitate the construction of a few bridges and the reconstruction of several 
others. These are as follows • 

First. Southern Pacific Railway bridge across Yolo Basin between Sacra¬ 
mento and Davis. The aggregate length of existing trestles in the Yolo Basin 
crossing is 7,550 feet. The double tracking of the road is now in progress. The 
estimate of cost of a bridge across the by-pass is for a double track structure 
9,500 feet long with an 80-foot clear opening draw span at either end. Bottom 
chords of spans are to clear the assumed high-water elevation by 3 feet, which 
will involve raising tracks 12 feet above their present elevation" and providing 
3,000 feet of run-off at each end. 

Second. Southern Pacific Railway bridge across Sutter Basin. Existing trestle 
is 11,153 feet long. The estimated cost of reconstructing this bridge is for a 
single-track structure 3,400 feet long with an .80-foot clear opening drawspan 
at either end. Bottom chords of spans are to clear high-water plane by 3 feet, 
which will involve raising track 9 feet above its present elevation and raising 
the trestle approaches at either end to provide the necessary run-off. 

Third. Southern Pacific Railway and highway bridge across Sacramento 
River at Knights Landing. This will have to be raised 7 feet, involving the rais¬ 
ing of embankment approaches and incidentally raising sidings and buildings. 

Fourth. Southern Pacific Railway bridge across Feather River between 
Marysville and Yuba City. This will have to be raised 6 feet and run-offs, 
back of levees, constructed at either end. 

Fifth. Southern Pacific Railway bridge across Feather River, 1| miles 
above preceding bridge. Measured along the railway track the distance be¬ 
tween levees is here 11,000 feet. Besides the bridge across the river proper 
there is a long trestle approach and a second trestle across Simmerly Slough. 
On this main line the maximum grades are lighter than on the Knights Land¬ 
ing branch, on which are the three preceding bridges. Consequently the neces¬ 
sary length of run-off resulting from raising the track 6 feet between levees 
is greater than in those cases and involves several street changes in Marysville. 
This change of grade through Marysville has, however, already been practically 
effected by raising of tracks necessitated by increased height of the Marysville 
levee system. It is quite possible that one new bridge could be constructed to 
take the place of this and the preceding one at a decreased total expense, but 
this would involve so many features of uncertain cost that it has not been 
thought best to consider such a change in the estimates. 

Sixth. Southern Pacific Railway bridge on Knights Landing branch, across 
the Colusa Basin drainage canal. This bridge will need be 375 feet long. The 
grade of the railway will need be raised 4 feet. 

Seventh. Highway bridge near upper end of Grand Island. This will need be 
raised 3 feet. 

Eighth. Highway bridge at Colusa. The bottom chord of this bridge is now 
2 feet above the adopted high-water plane. 

Ninth. Highway bridge at Butte City. This bridge will need be raised 7 feet. 

Tenth and eleventh. Highway bridges across Sutter-Butte Basin by-pass. 
There are at present two timber trestles crossing Butte Slough (with truss 
spans over the channels), which will be made a part of the by-pass. These are 


52 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


on parallel roads about 3 miles apart. These will have to be reconstructed to 
an elevation about 6 feet higher than at present. 

Twelfth. New highway bridge across Colusa Basin Drainage Canal, 375 feet 
long and 20 feet high. 

In addition to the roads on which bridges have been enumerated above, there 
are roads crossing Sutter Basin which are used only during the late summer 
season after the flood water has drained off. No provision is made here for 
permanent structures crossing the by-passes at these places. 


ESTIMATES. 

Estimates of quantities and of cost of the several features of this project are 
taken up in the same order as were those features in the preceding description. 

(a) ENLARGEMENT OF RIVER CHANNEL BELOW MOUTH OF CACHE SLOUGH. 

Land: Acres. 

For increased channel section_2, 989 

For new levees and enlargement of exist¬ 
ing ones_ 200 


Total_3,189 at $100___ 

Earthwork: 

Enlargement of existing and construction of new levees, 

4,083,000 cubic yards, at 10 cents_:_ 

Channel excavation in excess of material required for levees, 
144,452,000 cubic yards, at 6 cents_ 


$318. 900. 00 

408, 300. 00 
8, 667,120. 00 


Weirs: 


(&) CONSTRUCTION OF WEIRS. 


9, 394, 320. 00 


Moulton Weir, 2.840 linear feet, at $100_ $284, 000. 00 

Tisdale Weir (reconstruction), 1,140 linear feet, at $80_ 91,200.00 

Fremont Weir, 8.000 linear feet, at $125_$1, 000, 000 

Fremont Weir excavation— 

Removal of levee, 139,000 cubic yards, at 

20 cents- 27, 800 

Material above sill of weir, 231,000 cubic 

yards, at 20 cents_ 46, 200 

- 1, 074, 000. 00 

Sacramento Weir, 1,667 linear feet, at $100_ 166,700 

Sacramento Weir excavation: Removal of levee, 

8,300 cubic yards, at 20 cents_ 1, 660 

- 168, 360. 00 


1, 617, 560. 00 


(C) RECTIFICATION AND ENLARGEMENT OF RIVER CHANNELS. 


Lands: Acres. 

Steamboat Slough, for channel enlarge¬ 
ment -19S 

Between head of Steamboat Slough and 

mouth of Feather River_ 30 

Cut-off channel, cutting out Grays and 

Woods Bends_ 46 

3 cut-offs between Knights Landing and 
Cranmore _ 78 


Total - 352, at $200_ 

Earthwork: 

Excavation of cut-off (Grays and Woods Bends), 5S6.000 

cubic yards, at 12£ cents_ 

Excavation of 3 cut-offs between Knights Landing and 

Cranmore, 945,000 cubic yards, at 121 cents_ 

Clearing land for flood channel, 2,300 acres, at $25_ 


$70, 400. 00 


73, 250. 00 

118,125. 00 
57, 500. 00 


319, 275. 00 





























FLOOD CONTROL. 


53 


(&) THE SACRAMENTO RIVER LEVEES. 

Land: Acres. 

Steamboat Slough, for levee enlargement- 9 

Old River_ 13 

Between head of Steamboat Slough and 
mouth of Feather River, for enlarge¬ 
ment of old and construction of new 

levees- 338 

Between mouths of Feather River and 
Chico Creek, including borrow ditches_2, 950 

Total -3,310, at $100_ 

Earthwork : Cubic yards. 

Steamboat Slough, enlargement ex¬ 
isting and construction of new 

levees _ 1, 061, 000 

Old River, enlargement of exist¬ 
ing levees_-_ 288, 000 

Between head of Steamboat Slough 
and mouth of Feather River, en¬ 
largement of existing and con¬ 
struction of new levees_ 5, 738, 000 

Total __ 7, 087, 000, at 10 cents_ 

Between mouths of Feather River and Stony Creek, en¬ 
largement of existing and construction of new levees, 
22,756,000 cubic yards, at 15 cents_ 


(e) BY-PASSES. 


Land: Acres. 

Yolo Basin_ 56, 545 

Sutter Basin_13, 970 

Butte Basin_ 7, 570 

Sacramento Weir by-pass_ 340 

Tisdale Weir by-pass_ 230 


Total _ 78,655, at $25_ 

Clearing land along Butte Slough, between Butte and Sutter 

Basins, 2,900 acres, at $25- 

Earthwork: Cubic y ards - 

Yolo Basin levees_ 21,147, 000 

Sutter Basin levees_ 22, 606, 000 

Butte Basin levees_ 5, 760, 000 

Sacramento Weir by-pass levees__ 523, 000 
Tisdale Weir by-pass levees- 1,122, 000 

Total levees_ 51,158, 000, at 6 cents- 


(/) RESERVOIRS. 

Not made a part of project. 

(g) TRIBUTARIES. 

Land: Acres. 

For flood channel on lower Feather River. 1, 721 

For levees and borrow pits on— 

American River- 328 

Feather River and Honcut Creek-1, 463 

Bear River_ 222 

Yuba River_ <S4 

Chico Creek_ 27 

Stony Creek- _26 

Dry and Butte Creeks--- 597 

Area within levees (Cache Creek, Willow 

Slough, Putah Creek)- 752 

Total__ 5, 220, at $50- 


Clearing lands in river bottoms, 12,000 acres, at $25. 


$331,000. 00 


708, 700, 00 

3, 413, 400. 00 

4, 453,100. 00 


$1, 966, 375. 00 
72, 500. 00 


3, 069, 480. 00 
5,108. 355. 00 


$261, 000. 00 
300, 000. 00 






































54 


FLOOD CONTROL. 


Earthwork: 

Levees on— 

American River_ 

Feather River and Honcut 

Creek_ 

Bear River, including con¬ 
nection with Feather River 

to northwest_ 

Yuba River_ 

Chico Creek_ 

Stony Creek_ 

Dry and Butte Creeks_ 

Cache Creek_ 

Willow Slough_ 

Putah Creek_ 

Total_ 


Cubic yards. 
1, 693, 500 

13, 065, 000 


1, 751, 000 
526, 000 
216, 000 

59, 000 

2, 724, 000 
539, 000 

1, 352. 000 
647, 000 


22, 572, 500, at 15 cents_$3, 3S5, 875. 00 


(h) COLUSA BASIN DRAINAGE CANAL. 


3, 946, 875. 00 


Land, 630 acres, at $150_ $94, 500. 00 

Earthwork, 6.700,000 cubic yards excavation, at 12^ cents- 837, 500. 00 


932, 000. 00 

(i) BRIDGE. 


* 

Double-track railway bridge across Yolo Basin by-pass_ $1,588,775.00 

Single-track railway bridge across Sutter Basin by-pass_ 368, 321. 00 

Raising railway bridge across Sacramento River at Knights 

Landing_ 120, 653. 00 

Raising railway bridge across Feather River between Marysville 

and Yuba City_ 69, 692. 00 

Raising railway bridge across Feather River 1? miles above 

preceding_ 140, 000. 00 

Single-track railway bridge across Colusa Basin drainage canal 

near Knights Landing_ 53, 000. 00 

Raising highway bridges at upper end of Grand Island. Colusa, 

and Butte City_ 30, 000. 00 

Raising two highway bridges across Butte Slough_ 15, 000. 00 

Highway bridge across Colusa Basin drainage canal_ 7, 500. 00 


2. 392, 941. 00 

Less portions of cost of bridges over by-passes 
properly chargeable to railway companies, viz: 

65 per cent of cost of Yolo by-pass bridge $1, 032, 703. 75 

50 per cent of cost of Sutter by-pass bridge. 184,160. 50 

- 1, 216, 864. 25 


1,176, 076. 75 


SUMMARY. 


(a) Enlargement of river channel below Cache Slough_ $9,394,320.00 

(5) Construction of weir_ 1,617,560.00 

(c) Rectification and enlargement of river channels_ 319,275.00 

( d ) Sacramento River levees_ 4,453,100.00 

( e) By-passes_,_ 5.108, 355. 00 

(g) Tributaries- 3,946,875.00 

( h ) Colusa Basin drainage canal_ 932.000.00 

( i ) Bridges- 1,176,076.75 


26, 947, 561. 75 

Add 15 per cent for contingencies and administration_ 4, 042,134. 26 


Total- 30, 9S9, 696. 01 










































FLOOD CONTROL. 


55 


Less appropriations made by United States and State of Cali¬ 
fornia, the project for the expenditure of which may be 


made a part of this larger project 

$800, 000. 00 

Respectfully submitted. 

30,189, 696. 01 

H. H. Wadsworth, 

Assistant Engineer. 

Capt. Thos. H. Jackson, 

Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, 



Secretary California Debris Commission. 

o 









m 


MAP OF 


THE AALLEY OF 


SACRAMENTO RIVER 


SOUTH OF TEHAMA COUNTY 


AND OF 


SAN .JOAQUIN 


RIVER 


BELOW STOCKTON 


COMPILED FOR, THE 


CALIFORNIA DEBRIS COMMISSION 

UNDER THE DIRECTION OF 

Captaiij TIjos. I|. Jackson, Corps of Ehigiijeers, tI.S.Arn$ 

1909-10 


Scale 1inch = 5()()0 feet 

Feet 


50aa ft caa* lAAfto iSooo 70000 25000 



Mil** 


LEGEND 

Levees. ...... 

Public roads. 

Private roads.. 

C&unty boundaries.... ... 

Spanish grant lines..... 

Water Gourses...... 

Intermittent lakes.. 

Proposed levees. . . __ 

Levees to be raised. — . _ 

Proposed canals..... - 

Areas to be dredged. 

Contour elevations refer to a plane 360 feet below 
mean sea level. 


AUTHORITIES 

This map was compiled from the folbwinq sources of information 


Surveys by United States Engineer Department; 

Sacramento River from Chico Landing to Mouth of Feather River. 1909 

” •• Mouth of Feather River to Sacramento, 1907 

„ Sacramento to Collinsville, 1908 

Feather Riverfrom Oroville to Head of Butte Co.Canal, 1903 

•• (levee system only) Head of Butte Co. Canal to Marysville, 19 09 
from Marysville to Sacramento River. 1907 

Yuba River. 1906; Bear River, 1905 ; American River, 1906 
San Joaquin River below Stockton. 1908 

Parts of Yolo, Sutter and Butte Basins, I908&I909 


Published maps (in some cases advance sheets) of the U.5.Geological Survey 
” map of Suisun Bay; U.S.Coast and Geodetic Survey. 

Alignment maps of Southern Pacific,Western Pacific.Northern Electric 
and Atchison,Topeka and Santa Fe Railways. 

Recently published maps of Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties. 

For parts of Butte and Sutter Basins, maps of which have not yet been 
issued by the U S Geological Survey, the map of Sacramento Valley 
published in 1895 by the Commission of Public Works of the State of 
California,with some minor corrections, was used. 



OFFict OF THE. 

CALIFORNIA DEBRIS COMMISSION 

San Franci, w Calif.,July .1010 

Lieut.-Colonel. Coups or Em&ineers.U.S.A. 



To Accompany R E po* T or A US ‘ T0 

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SACRAMENTO AND SAN JOAQUIN RIVERS 


PROFILE SHEET 





















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Mile: Slough 


ion with Sutter Slough. 


Steamboat 


’ICAL OF 


Typical of 


NTp and. Grand Island 


Typical of Rjv 


and MjJut 


flood ContrclEra^LcL 


jrfCahfccni a Debn 


Conmiasion Project- 


*ro.vid« • 


House Doc. No.g / 








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